Too Little, Too Late
by Sabby1
Summary: Updated: February 3 2013 Lex has turned into a perfect copy of his father. Chloe has decided to leave him and disappear. Lex has decided that won't do and he will have her back.
1. Goodbye

Disclaimer: The characters in this story belong to their respective owners. I am not making any money off this, so please don't sue.

A/N: This was the first fanfiction I ever wrote. As of today it is still unfinished. I started it in March of 2003. I realize that means it has been almost 10 years and this story is still not complete. However, I have recently started writing on it again, and decided to edit the chapters that had been posted so far. If you are willing to bear with me, I am still hopeful that this story will be finished some day.

Until then, I leave you with the updated version and hope you will enjoy (re-)reading what is there.

Sabby

CATEGORY: Angst/Drama  
Rating: R

**Chapter 1 ~ Goodbye**

She lowered her left hand to the table and the quiet clink of metal touching wood rang with deafening clarity. When she took her hand away, her wedding ring was lying on the table, the stark contrast of the shining gold band to the dark mahogany wood mocking with its symbolism.

"I never meant it to end this way, and I'm sorry. If you ever decide to turn back into the man I love more than my life, let me know." her voice, though tinged with sadness still held determination.

Chloe looked him in the eyes and Lex could see that they were brimming with tears that she refused to shed. She was still the proud woman she always had been, the woman he loved more than anything else; the woman who was now leaving him.

She turned away and walked to the large doors on the opposite side of the room. When her hand rested on the door handle she stopped. He saw her lifting her chin up and taking a deep breath. Without turning around to face him she spoke her final words. Her voice carried clear and steady over the silence.

"Goodbye, Alexander." She opened the door in a swift movement and closed it behind her with a low click, walking out of his life forever. Through the doors he could hear the noise of her heels echoing down the hallway quickening in rhythm until it faded away into silence.

Lex was in a daze as he walked over to a small cabinet to the left side of the panorama window behind him and poured himself a drink. With the glass in his hand he turned back to the window looking down on the driveway beneath him. He watched her coming out of the main door and get into the back of a taxi. She didn't even look up to the window, probably knowing he would be standing there, watching her leave.

Closing his eyes, as the taxi pulled out of the driveway, he raised the glass to his lips and downed the rather large amount of liquor in one gulp.

Without opening his eyes he turned in a fast half circle and threw the glass forcefully in whatever direction it might go. He heard the high pitched crash as it collided with the wall next to the entrance of his office. But the damage failed to have the satisfying effect he had sought.

In a sudden burst of fury he gave his leather chair a vicious kick, watching it crash and skid over the hardwood until it banged into the armoire. With an animal like scream he swiped his arm across the desktop, sending everything on top of it flying to the floor. He reveled in the scattering papers and the loud crash of his laptop as it split to pieces. He needed the noise to drown out the sounds that had shattered his heart; her ring hitting the desk and her voice telling him 'goodbye' with the finality of death.

Screaming again he started pacing blindly through the room, running his shaking hands over his head. In the middle of the room he stopped dead, pressing both hands over his face, to prevent the sobs that were choking him. Breathing hard, his chest heaving, he tried to get his emotions under control. His hands fell to his sides as he slowly inhaled through his nose before he turned around to face the mess he had made of his office.

Around the heavy mahogany table, dozens of papers lay scattered on the floor and to the left side of it lay his laptop in shards. With a humorless laugh he looked up to the desktop. There, on the polished surface still lay the simple platinum band. Unlike everything else, he hadn't brushed it away during his tantrum. It had slipped further from the edge and into the middle of the desk. He stalked over to the table with a determined stride, stopped before it and stared at the ring, still not able, not willing to believe that this was it. She had finally left him. Left him and walked out of his life like every other person he had ever loved.


	2. Runaway Plane

**Chapter 2 ~ Runaway Plane**

As the taxi pulled out onto the street, Chloe let out a long shaky breath and tried to steady herself. The driver, an elderly man with gray hair tucked under an old baseball cap looked at her in the review mirror, with concern edged on his features.

"Where to ma'am?"

"The airport, please." Her voice trembled slightly, and her hands were still shaking. It had taken every last bit of willpower to go through with her decision. Now she felt numb and tired and wanted nothing more than to curl up in a dark corner and die.

"Yes ma'am. Uhm, I'm not sure if I should, but may I ask…"

"You may not," she spat, but regretted it the next moment. She tried to make amends. "Listen, I'm sorry, but it's been a hard day already and I'd rather be left alone now, o.k.?"

The driver simply gave her an understanding nod and a sympathetic smile for an answer.

Leaning back in her seat, Chloe closed her eyes and tried to push away the thoughts and emotions eating at her. She hadn't made the decision to leave Lex on a whim. She had watched for a long time, how he had changed, and she had tried so hard to stop it, to get him back, to regain the man she had fallen in love with so many years ago.

With every year that passed, however, he had become more distant, colder. Bit by bit he had turned into a carbon copy of his father. Lionel's early death had done nothing to prevent this. In her mind it had rather made things worse. With all the pressure Lex had had to face there had been no way to change things, let alone improve them. Lex had to succumb to the same semi legal to illegal measures his father had employed to keep things afloat and to keep the hell hounds that were after his father's empire at bay.

No matter how much Chloe had hated the magnificent bastard that had been Lionel Luthor, she had found herself wishing from time to time, that he hadn't died so early, to leave his son alone with all the mess that no one would have been able to take on using honorable means. But Lex's stubbornness had kept him going and Chloe was sure he didn't even realized where it had taken him. Oh, she had tried to tell him, to show him what it did to him, to them. And more than one time at that, but he wouldn't listen. She still remembered the last argument that had sealed her decision to leave.

/ / / / / /

"Alexander, please, listen to me! Can't you see what's happening to you? Why do you do this? What are you trying to prove? You ruin the lives of thousands of people and all for the sake of ...of what exactly? I don't understand you anymore. What has happened to the man who tried to be better than his father? Cause you're not better, in fact you are exactly like him!"

Standing in front of his desk looking down on her husband behind it, Chloe gestured with both hands to emphasize her words. In the end she ran a hand through her hair closing her eyes to will away the stinging tears of frustration.

Lex sat behind his desk, his hands folded in his lap and looked placidly up at his wife. His eyes were devoid of any emotion.

"I don't know what you're talking about. I do what I have to do ensure the success of my corporation. And if that means I have to sacrifice one or two plants in less productive areas then I will do exactly that. LexCorp is not the only company providing jobs in the field of steel workmanship, is it? So those who are laid off can get a new job in another factory or try to be transferred to another plant before theirs is closed, I'm sure that can save one or two hundred of them."

"As opposed to the three to four thousand who still lose their jobs and stand to loose their whole livelihood, just because the production numbers weren't sufficient for your highness!" Chloe yelled, losing her temper. She hated it when he was like this; an insensitive, heartless businessman right to the bone.

'Now sweetheart, you know that that is not true." Lex's voice was dripping with feigned indignation.

"Don't you dare sweetheart me you condescending, self-righteous bastard!" she spat in his face making him to flinch slightly. For just the fraction of a second she could see shock, hurt and anger flitting across his features, before the calm nonchalant mask was back in place.

"I think this discussion is over. I have a meeting in a half hour and I'm sure you have some business that you want to take care of as well. So if you don't mind..." He left the rest of his sentence unspoken, but motioned silently for the office door with his hand.

Chloe turned on her heel without another word and walked out of the office, slamming the door loudly behind her.

/ / / / / /

That had been the last time they had 'spoken' to each other, before this morning when she had told him that she was leaving. While she had relived that horrible day in her mind, time had moved on, and the taxi was now pulling into the parking lot in front of Metropolis Airport.

Chloe paid the driver including a generous tip and gave him a tired smile before she got out of the cab and headed for the large glass sliding doors that led to the departure hall.


	3. Devil may Care

**Chapter 3 ~ Devil May Care**

It had been a week since she had left him. Lex had thrown himself into a cycle of working, drinking and scaring the hell out of everyone who dared to cross his path since then. He had barely slept, except when he had passed out from sheer exhaustion, or drunken himself into a state beyond stupor.

He had never had a tendency towards alcoholism before, but he found it to be the only means to take his mind off of 'her'. He wouldn't even think her name anymore, let alone speak it out loud. He also wouldn't allow anyone else to mention 'her' in even the slightest way. He hadn't had to really command it. The message had been clear, when a very unlucky servant had dared to ask when 'she' would return. The man found himself fired on the spot and with a vicious bruise on his right cheek where Lex had planted his fist no sooner than the question had passed the servant's lips.

Since then no one dared mention her name or person when Lex was around. Sitting in his office, after 16 hours straight of work, on a Saturday no less, Lex was tired but still sober, a state that he would be sure to put an end to as soon as possible. Nevertheless, walking over to his now frequently used bar, he couldn't keep the memory of his first night alone from creeping into his mind.

/ / / / / /

After having spent the rest of his day working on the contracts for the latest acquisition of a pharmaceutics company into LexCorp and signing the final papers for the shut down of two more plants in Missouri and Wisconsin, Lex decided to call it a day, at 2 a.m. and retreated to his bedroom on the opposite side of the corridor, down the hall. During the course of the day, he had pushed all thoughts regarding his wife out of his mind and thrown himself into business like never before.

Now he stood in the doorway of their bedroom, facing the king-size four poster bed straight ahead. Ignoring the slight twinge in the pit of his stomach, he strode over to a smaller door to his left and yanked it open almost violently.

It hit him like a ton of bricks when he faced the inside of the dressing room. Gone. Her shoes, her dresses, her coats and jackets, everything was gone. As if to make sure, he rushed over to the far end where a broad, cream colored wooden bureau lined the wall. He forcefully pulled open the top drawer until it banged against the stoppers and looked into it. Empty. The next and the other two drawers received the same treatment and revealed the same sight. Screaming emptiness. No trinkets, no stockings, no lingerie, she had taken everything with her, leaving no evidence that she had ever been part of his life. With a pained groan Lex strode out of the closet again, banging the door shut to conceal its shocking view.

Covering his face with his hands, he walked over to the bed and let himself flop down backwards on it. When he inhaled deeply through his nose he received the next proverbial blow to the gut. Her scent still clung to the sheets. That was it! He pushed himself up from the bed and practically ran over to the door before he stopped dead in front of it.

He tore it open, nearly ripping it from its hinges. He took another deep breath before screaming for the maid at the top of his lungs. Her room was on the other end of the hall, and she was probably asleep by now. Lex didn't give a shit.

"Melanie, over here, now!" He didn't have to bark twice. A few seconds later he could hear the sound of a door being closed and the shuffling of feet scurrying hurriedly over the parquet in his direction.

"What is it that you need? What is wrong, Sir?" The petite French maid asked as soon as she reached him. Her voice was muffled from sleep, but she looked up at him with a mixture of confusion and concern in her eyes.

Lex couldn't bring himself to care if he had wanted to. He looked down at her and spoke with a voice that could have frozen the Sahara.

"Change the sheets, now."

"Yes, Sir." Melanie looked at him as if he had grown a second head, but was smart enough not to comment. Instead she turned on her heel and walked off in the direction of the linen closet down the hall, muttering unintelligible words under her breath.

Ten minutes later the sheets had been changed and the offending scent that had reminded him of 'her' had been removed efficiently.

"Is there anything else I can help you with, sir?" Melanie looked at him like he had lost his mind, but didn't dare to say anything.

He dismissed her with a wave of his arm and she barely made it out of the door before it slammed shut behind her back.

/ / / / / /

Those had been the first things to make him realize the void she had left in his life, when she had decided to leave him. The lack of her clothes and her scent still lingering in the sheets had been the first things to hit him, but far from the last.

He found he couldn't sleep in their bed, missing the warmth of her body beside him that he had become so used to - no - addicted to. He missed their discussions that had become a constant during all meals. He couldn't set a foot into the library, where she had spent hours on end researching for one of her stories or simply relaxing with one of her favorite books.

Within the week after she had left, he had refrained almost completely from eating and sleeping, only leaving his office if it was strictly necessary. Lex's mood had grown fouler with each day that had passed. By now nobody dared to cross his path or speak to him if they weren't directly addressed. Lex Luthor had turned into the incarnation of the devil, seeking to destroy every shadow of feeling that was left inside of him.


	4. London Rain

**Chapter 4 ~ ****London**** Rain**

Chloe sat at the windowsill in her living room, gazing out on the streets below her apartment. She watched the busy bustling of people, hurrying in all directions through the rain that was pouring down in heavy gushes. It reminded her once again that the world around her hadn't stopped moving, that life was moving on whether she wanted it to or not.

Four months had gone by, since she had left Lex and Metropolis. She had arranged everything beforehand so that all she had to do on that dreadful day had been to actually make it out of the house and into the taxi, which had proved to be almost too much.

After their last fight, she had emptied all her bank accounts, had her clothes and other stuff moved and deposited in a rental depot downtown and, with the help of an old friend, had acquired a fake ID and passport that could pass all official muster.

It had been brought to use first to buy a one-way ticket to London. Once she'd arrived it had taken Chloe less than a week to find accommodation, deal with the officials about the residence permit and find a job at one of the lower quality 'yellow press' papers. All she had had to do was pull a few strings with old acquaintances and business partners.

Now Chloe Sullivan was living and working in Southwark, London, under the name of Charlize Lance. First thing to do had been to ship over her stuff and then ensure there was no evidence left behind to trace her. She was sure that once he got over his initial shock, his first action would be to track her down and try to force her to come back. Alexander.

She had avoided thinking of him as best she could, but the memories would assault her from the back of her mind, along with the emotions that were tied to him.

She would find herself shell-shocked, the first few weeks, whenever she saw a bald man in the crowd in the streets, or when someone said the name Alexander in her vicinity. At night she would lie awake in her bed, remembering the way he had held her in his arms, his body enveloping her, making her feel save and warm, being lulled to sleep by his scent and steady breathing against her neck, his face nuzzled into her hair.

Over the course of months it had become easier to sleep with the help of some sedatives, of course. Still, the memories of better days would come back to haunt her every once in a while, when she had too much time to think, like now.

She had been forced to take a week of vacation, her boss reminding her that she couldn't work almost sixteen hours a day for an infinite amount of time, and that she would be no use for him if she kept 'burning the candle from both ends'. So she was forced to spend one week alone with herself and her thoughts.

Still gazing out the window, Chloe found herself thrown back into memories of a time when she would have relished so much free time and would have known exactly how to use it most pleasantly.

/ / / / / /

"Lex, no, I dare you, no…Aahhh!" Chloe's scream was cut off as she landed in the azure blue water of the pool with a loud splash.

Sputtering and treading the water around her heavily she sent a death glare up to her husband who was currently watching her from the side of the pool, clothed in black Bermudas and his usual purple silk shirt, shaking with laughter.

"You are so going to pay for this mister!" Her voice dripped with malice and her eyes held a mischievous glint as she fixed them on Lex, who swiftly regained his control, gave her his best smirk and raised one eyebrow in interest.

"Oh, really? And what exactly do you have in mind?" He had to stifle another chuckle as he watched his wife swiping her hair out of her face and looking for all the world like a drowned rat. An incredibly beautiful drowned rat, though.

"Oh, you will see. Just get me out of here first. Please?" She looked up at him, both arms raised and thus exposing a wide open view down her swimsuit which was now clinging tightly to her curves.

"Mhm." With his smirk still in place, and slightly distracted by the sexiness that was a wet Chloe, he bent down to take her outstretched arms.

That was all it took for her to grab his forearms in a vice-like grip and yank him down into the pool with her. When Lex made it back to the surface, the first thing he saw was his wife, laughing like a lunatic and pointing at his now ruined silk shirt that clung to his heaving chest.

"I can't … can't believe you... actually fell for this one! Come on! It's the oldest trick ever!" She hardly got the sentence out between fits of snorts and giggles.

The laughter died in her throat, though, when she finally caught the look Lex was giving her. With a shriek she pulled backwards and turned around to swim for her life, a second before he pounced on her. Too late.

With one large push he was on her, holding her around the waist from behind, efficiently keeping her from getting away. She struggled for a second though, flailing around with her arms and legs, before giving in with a small sigh.

Lex pulled her flush against him, tightening his hold around her waist and leaned in close, brushing his lips against her ear.

"You little minx. You knew exactly how to stop my mind from working properly." His low husky voice and his breath tickling her ear made Chloe shiver in his arms.

"Feeling's mutual," was all she could say on a shaky breath.

She was about to turn in his embrace when his arms were suddenly gone from her waist and a second later his hands were on her shoulders, pushing her under the surface in one swift movement. Turning around under water, she came back up with a yelp only inches from his face.

"Oh you, you..." Chloe was at a loss for words as she glared daggers at him.

"What about me?" Lex looked down at her, his eyes sparkling with amusement.

She couldn't hold back any longer. In a flash she threw her arms around his shoulders and pressed up against him, her lips catching his in a fiery kiss. Overcoming the initial shock of her sudden assault, Lex wrapped his arms around her waist again, pressing Chloe even closer to him, and reciprocated the kiss with equal passion.

He let his tongue delve between her parted lips, running it along the back of her teeth and over her palate. Her answer was immediate and eager. Their tongues met and engaged in a battle of passion until both had to break away to catch a much needed breath.

When Chloe opened her eyes to meet Lex's gaze she was once again struck with awe that the color of his eyes could change so much when his emotions took control. The usually pale gray blue irises seemed to have become several shades darker reflecting his passion and need.

Still, underneath his raging desire, she could see the love that shone through. When their lips met again, it was softer and Chloe tried to pour all of her emotions into this kiss. Love, desire, and the raw need she already felt throbbing in her core.

Breaking away again she gave him an impish little smile and let her hands wander over his shoulders, down his chest, all the time holding his gaze.

"Thank God this is a private pool." Her smile turned into a moan when she felt Lex's hands moving down from her waist, cupping her buttocks, pulling her closer and pressing her against his already hard shaft.

"You're welcome," he murmured while he nuzzled her neck and placed a soft kiss right above her jugular.

Chloe giggled as her arms moved up his chest and around his shoulders again, one hand reaching up to cup the back of his neck to pull him closer. She felt his lips trail over her collarbone, scraping the flesh lightly with his teeth, and her giggle turned into a moan.

In a daze, Chloe pulled at the collar of his shirt, ripping off the first few buttons. Grinning wildly she slowly ran a hand over his exposed chest, before she ripped open the rest of the shirt and pushed it down over his shoulders.

Her legs encircled his waist of their own volition, lifting her up enough to place her breasts enticingly close to his face. Holding her up with one arm, Lex let his left hand travel up her body to gently cup one breast through the fabric of her swimsuit.

Chloe's head fell back in response as she lightly scraped her nails down his scalp to the back of his neck.

A low growl left his throat at the teasing sensation. His hand reached up further to pull down the thin strap from her right shoulder before he gently sunk his teeth into the exposed flesh.

Making a pleased little mewling sound, Chloe let her hands run over his shoulders down his back, feeling his strong muscles move beneath the smooth, wet skin. She felt his fingers trace the line of her collarbone over to her other shoulder and pull down the other strap of her suit, nibbling a path from her shoulder up to her neck.

When he pushed his tongue lightly into the soft spot behind her ear, she raked her nails across his back shaking in his arms. She didn't know how Lex had managed to pull down the suit to her waist without her realizing it, but when he let her sink back into the water she was all too aware of him dipping beneath the surface and drawing the fabric down over her hips agonizingly slowly.

'God, how can he hold his breath so long?' The thought was gone along with all other coherent thinking, when she felt his tongue laving a trail up from her hipbone still under water over her navel and further up between her ribs and along the valley between her breasts. When she felt him lift her up again she locked her legs around his waist in the same movement.

As she pulled him closer, she could feel his hard length press against her entrance through the fabric of his shorts. Placing her hands on both sides of his face, she guided his lips to hers, catching his lower lip and nibbling gently, before she let go, removing her arms and legs completely and diving under water.

With a grin he couldn't see, she shoved down the annoying fabric that kept her away from his skin and gave the underside of his shaft a long lick from base to tip. She paused for a quick squeeze to his firm butt, making him jump, before she came up again. Pressing against him with her whole body, she pushed her lips against his in another passionate kiss.

With both arms wrapped around his shoulders she jumped up on his hips, startling the water around them, before she slowly lowered herself down all the while holding his gaze through hooded lids.

Letting her head fall back she lifted herself up and pushed down in agonizing slow motion, making both of them moan and causing the water around them to splash in subtle waves.

/ / / / / /

The persistent ringing of her phone startled her out of her trip down memory lane and she absentmindedly wiped away a tear that had trailed down her cheek, heading to the small glass table next to the cream colored couch that took up the center space of her living room.

Picking up the phone and pressing the call button she flopped down on the soft leather.

"Yeah." She had trained herself on answering every call in this way, since she had nearly slipped the first few times almost answering with 'Luthor'.

"Charlie, it's Dan, just wanted to make sure you're really following the chief's orders and not running around snooping for a story." The cheerful voice with the deep British accent on the other end of the line belonged to Dan Simmons, one of her closer colleagues at the tabloid.

"Sure, Dan. I'm staying put, bored beyond belief. I promised, didn't I?" The fauxness of her cheery tone wasn't lost on either of them. She hoped he would let it slide. He didn't.

"Are you sure you're ok? You seem a bit, I don't know... off?"

Chloe answered with an exasperated sigh. "No Dan, I'm fine, really I'm just a bit on the moody side what with all the rain and me being forced to sit on my butt, doing nothing, you know?"

He seemed to buy it this time. After a second of silence Chloe swore she could see him shrug with one shoulder like he always did before he let her off the hook.

"Ok, if you say so. Listen I hafta go, I have an interview with that bird from the town hall. So be sein' you 'round then?"

"Sure. And, Dannyboy, try to be decent ok?" Again she could see his reaction clearly in her mind; that cheeky smile he gave when he was clearly not intending to do as ordered.

"Of course! I'm a man with manners after all, aren't I?"

"Mhm, and since when is that?" She gave him one of her own little smiles, although he couldn't see it.

"You really are one extraordinary bird, Lance. You know that right?" Amusement was clear in his tone.

"Always. So, hurry up now and move your skinny little ass to the lady of the hour."

"Ok, see you 'round." His voice was tinged warm with true affection.

"Ok, bye." Chloe pressed the call button again and put the phone back in the receiver.

Sighing deeply she stood up and went to the bathroom on the other end of the spacious living room. On her way past the kitchen area, she cast a look at the clock above the fridge acknowledging that it was already past six. Shaking her head slightly she recited her plans for the rest of the day aloud.

"Shower, Pills, Bed! Welcome to your vacation Chloe."


	5. The Fast and Furious

**Chapter 5 ~ The Fast And Furious**

Throwing on his knee-length black overcoat and grabbing a set of car keys from the board next to the garage entrance, Lex went straight for the black '99 Spider convertible. Revving the engine, he sped through the large confines of his personal parking lot, passing his other cars and leaving the garage behind with a screech of spinning tires.

He had no idea where he was going, he just had the need to drive and get away for a while. Heading straight out of Metropolis and for the next interstate, he didn't look twice, if he ran red lights or was going twice the speed limit. Once on the interstate he pushed the Spider to its limits, shifting into sixth gear and going at 150 mph. The surroundings turned into a hazy blur, leaving the gray line of the street ahead of him in the center of his vision.

The whole day had been a big steaming pile of shit. First he had lost a buyout of a large trademark corporation to a business enemy, then his personal assistant had quit and left on the spot threatening to sue him for sexual harassment. That goddamn bitch brought it on herself, dammit! How could she not expect him to cop a feel when she kept on wriggling her ass in front of him, wearing those skimpy little skirts that would easier pass for belts than clothing? But he would deal with that little vixen later.

What really had made his day perfect was the call he had received a half hour earlier from his private investigators. They told him they didn't see a sense in trying to find 'her' anymore, that they had tried everything and still came up empty handed. Obviously she had no contact to her family and friends anymore and there had been no signs of life from a Chloe Sullivan or a Chloe Luthor in the past five months. No credit card purchases, no articles, no one had heard or seen her since the day she left their home for good.

Letting loose a string of profanities, Lex hit the steering wheel a few times for good measure, trying to wrap his mind around the fact that he wouldn't be able to find her, when she obviously did not want to be found. He had sent the best men that could be bought for money or black mailed for their past on her trail and still to no avail. They had been working for over four months on the case, hell they even had tracked down the taxi driver from that day, but all they had gotten out of him was that he had taken her to the airport. From there he had made sure to get the passenger lists of every flight leaving that day but her name was on none of them.

Of course, she had used another name, but there was no way to find out which of the seemingly endless count of women's names was hers. He had personally supervised the viewing of the security camera tapes that he had gotten a hold on, but although going through them one screenshot at a time, her face wasn't on one single shot. He wasn't sure if that was sheer luck or calculus on her part.

The next three months were spent searching world wide for any information that could lead to her, but as fate would have it, nothing came out of it. Now that this plan had failed, he had to come up with a different one. If he couldn't hunt her down, maybe he could lure her out of her hideout. But how?

Racking his brain for an idea for what felt like an eternity, coming up with and trashing plans in rapid-fire pace, he finally decided he should just drop the issue for a while. Daring a quick glance to the side he saw a large road sign flashing by, proclaiming that it was another 230 miles to Chicago. He hadn't realized he had already been driving for about two and a half hours and passed two state lines, while reliving the actions of the past five months and trying to find a way to get back what was his.

Though trying his best to clear his mind of all things concerning 'her', Lex's mind still kept going back, refusing to let go of the nerve wrecking issue. How dare she leave him like that!? How dare she move out of his life without a real explanation having the nerve to tell him he had changed, and that it wasn't worth it anymore!? What in heaven and hell gave her the right to treat him like that and just vanish like she had never existed!? She didn't even give him a chance to react or to talk some sense into her, no she just up and left, with that pathetic little speech.

"Goodbye, Alexander!" Her words once again echoed through his mind and he could feel a headache coming on, starting right between his eyes. Soon he wouldn't be able to drive anymore if the pounding didn't let up.

Keeping his eyes on the road and his left hand on the steering wheel he started to fumble through the glove compartment, searching for some aspirin he kept around wherever he went.  
He popped the pills into his mouth, swallowing them dry, and then waited more or less patiently for the effect to kick in.

As soon as the throbbing between his eyes was gone, he decided to distract himself with some music, intent on interrupting his scheming for a while longer. Slamming one of his favorite CDs in the player, he turned the volume up as far as it would go and hit play.

Singing along with LinkinPark's Crawling he sped on towards Chicago, letting himself go with the flow.

A/N: What if I say this chapter has sexual content? What if I say it involves a naked Lex? (Still with me?) Already hot and bothered? Good, time for the bucket of ice water!It does not involve Chloe! But please read anyway, cause hey it has naked Lex! Btw Major Thanks go to moonmaid aka Not An Addict for letting me bugg her with my questions and helping me with some of my screwed up sentences in this part ( u are the best). So enough with the warnings and my rambling, thanks for all your reviews (love u gals) and on with the show...


	6. Chicago Blues

**Chapter 6 ~ ****Chicago**** Blues  
**  
Lex wandered aimlessly through downtown Chicago, not sparing a glance for the romantic city lights or the buzzing of the nightlife around him. His hands shoved deep into the pockets of his overcoat, his gaze fixed on the dark, dirty tar of the sidewalk he kept on walking, his breath leaving his lips in white clouds from the chill of the stormy air.

He didn't even know what time it was or how long he had been walking. Once he'd arrived in the city he had simply parked his car at the next best parking lot and started walking, forcing his mind to stay blank.

His eyes caught a hazy red gloom in a puddle a few feet ahead, flashing on and off in erratic intervals. Looking up, he spotted a red neon sign advertising "DAN'S IRISH PUB". He walked up to the entrance, scrunching up his nose in disgust at the stained door handle.  
Shrugging his shoulders, he pulled out a tissue from his inner jacket pocket and opened the wooden door.

Walking down the stairs ahead, his senses were assaulted with the stench of cold tobacco, stale beer and some other odors he'd rather not identify closer. At the bottom of the steps Lex took in the whole interior of the establishment: one large, rectangular room, with a long bar taking up the length of one wall, while the opposite wall was lined with some shabby leather booths encasing dirty metal tables. There were only a few patrons who were slouching in the booths or hanging over the bar like they couldn't stand on their own two feet.

Getting over the initial pang of disgust, Lex strode straight over to the bar, clearing his throat to inform the barkeep of his presence. The short, stubby man interrupted his chat with another patron and made his way over to Lex seemingly in slow motion. As he raised a brow above his grey glass eye, his good eye regarded Lex warily.

"What do ya want?" His voice was raspy and low, years or decades of cigarette and whiskey addiction evident.

"A beer." Lex wasn't sure if he would get anything if he asked for something more specific, but he held the one eyed gaze of the barkeep defiantly.

With a grunt and a curt nod of the head the barkeep turned away, opening a small fridge behind him and came back up with a bottle of Lager, slamming it on the counter before Lex.

"Five bucks."

Lex dropped the cash on the bar and watched the man stuff it in his pocket before he ambled off, back to the other patron to continue his conversation. Turning around, Lex leaned back against the counter, surveying the crowd once more.

Taking a large gulp of the quickly warming beer, he let his eyes wander over the solely male patrons, feeling a little disappointed. The next second he mentally berated himself for even thinking any halfway decent woman would set foot in such a place.

After gulping down the rest of his beer in one long pull, Lex turned back to the barkeep who was now occupied cleaning the counter. He decided it was time to order something a little... a lot stronger.

"Hey, you have some whiskey?" It was really hard to keep up the pretense of not being a rich ass to keep him out of any fights. In his teenage years, he wouldn't have minded, but now, he just wanted to get peacefully sloshed then find a place to crash for the night.

The barkeep raised an eyebrow again, but put a shot glass on the table. Taking a nearly full bottle of Jack Daniels from a shelf behind him, he filled half of the tiny glass with the amber liquid.

"Make it a double, and leave the bottle." Lex stopped the skeptic look and the comment about to come out of the barkeeps mouth by slamming a couple of "Franklins" on the counter. 'Fuck the pretense.'

The barkeep gave him a curt nod while he pocketed the money and went back to mind his own business at the far end of the counter.

Lex downed the first shot, refilled the glass to the brim, and knocked it back the same way as the first. Half the bottle later he felt sufficiently sloshed. His vision was hazy; his mind a mess of insignificant rambling and the only thing that kept him upright was his elbow on the counter.

He scanned the crowd again and nearly did a double take when he spotted her. A shock of blonde hair was hiding her face. Her legs crossed sexily, the skin revealed up to mid thigh, she was wearing a skimpy black dress that left nothing to the imagination.

She was sitting in a booth across from him, alone and bored, judging from the way she inspected her nails and clung to a cigarette like it was her life line. In front of her on the table sat a tall glass of Coke and a nearly overflowing ashtray. He watched her delicate hands bring the cigarette to her mouth, hidden beneath the blonde tresses. He stood mesmerized, captured by the smoke wallowing in a cloud around her and her elegant fingers bringing the fag to the ashtray and stubbing it out slowly.

Lex sucked in a deep breath and tried to pull himself together at least a little. He began searching his intoxicated brain for a decent pick up line. It couldn't be too hard, how much class would a girl that frequented this place have, anyway? At this thought he let out a cackling chuckle. Of course, she had to be a hooker. No decent woman would ever come here. Plus the clothes, the chain smoking, the attitude? It had to be a hooker. 'Well, makes things way easier,' he thought as a predatory grin crept over his face.

Swaggering over towards his prey in a pseudo elegant way, he flopped down on the booth across from her, getting his first look at her face and nearly recoiling from shock. Huge hazel eyes looked at him, curious and annoyed at the same time, 'God, the same look'. It wasn't until he got over his initial shock that he realized the girl was talking to him.

'Not that I usually mind but I'm waiting for someone. So, maybe you should go find another place to get comfy." She sized him up, taking in his slouched form with a disapproving look and a raised eyebrow, lighting yet another cigarette.

Lex waved away her statement with a sloppy wave of his hand and shot her a grin.

"How much?" he slurred.

"Pardon?" The girl shot him a disbelieving look.

'A bit on the dense side, isn't she?' he thought.

"How much do you take for a round in the sack, or are you paid by the hour?" he clarified.

For a moment the girl just gaped at him. A second later her face burned red with anger and her eyes were narrowed to thin slits, glaring daggers at Lex. In a flash she grabbed her beverage and emptied it all over Lex's face and the front of his shirt.

"Fucking asshole, I wouldn't even let you get it from me if I WAS a hooker!" She jumped up from her seat and stormed out of the pub rambling a string of profanities.

Lex found himself drenched in soda and fish-mouthing rather pathetically. A moment later he felt a strong hand clamp down hard on his shoulder.

"I think you better leave now, buddy."

When Lex turned his head to look up he found the barkeep glaring at him from his good eye.

'Leave now or I'll beat the shit out of you. Message received.' Giving the man a wavering nod, Lex staggered onto his feet and slowly made his way up the stairs and out of the pub. The cold night air bit into his skin through the soaked clothes, making him shudder.

"Gotta find a hotel," he mumbled under his breath as he staggered down the street. A few minutes later he managed to grab a cab.

"Where ya wanna go, pal?" The driver flashed his yellow teeth in a Cheshire grin. He obviously didn't mind that Lex was completely sloshed.

"The closest five star hotel from here, and I'll pay you double if you take less than ten minutes," Lex slurred, closing his eyes as he let his head fall back against the cushions of the backseat.

"That'd be the Wyndham-Downtown, and I can get you there in five." The driver was still grinning.

"Fine. Whatever. Go!" Lex growled without opening his eyes.

As soon as he entered the large, overly decorated lobby, Lex went straight, or as straight as he could, for the reception desk. Ignoring the disdainful look he got from the elderly female receptionist, he placed his platinum credit card on the counter and summoned his speaking abilities once more.

"Lex Luthor, I need a suite, and I need it now. So, don't give me your ordinary bull of being fully booked, because I know you always keep one or two suites just in case, and this is such a case. I want no discussion, I want that suite and room service up there in ten minutes to get these-" He tucked on his still wet shirt. "- and clean them for tomorrow morning. All clear?" He sent the lady his most withering glare, daring her to defy him. She caved, as expected, considering who he was.

"Yes sir, here is your keycard. The elevators are over there and to the left. A maid will be sent right away." She handed him the keycard and his credit card without looking into his eyes.

"Thank you, and Miss.-" It took him a moment to decipher her name on the tag pinned to her suit lapel. "- Manning. I trust in your discretion." He winked at her with a lopsided smirk on his lips.

She ignored the gesture with a professional, courteous smile. "Of course, Sir. Have a nice evening."

Lex acknowledged her comment with a curt nod and made his way over to the elevators.

As soon as he was in his suite, he took off his clothes and threw them on a seat near the door. He made his way directly to the adjacent bathroom without so much as a glance at his surroundings. 'Know one, know them all.' A king size four poster bed, living room area with couch and recliners, fire place, large windows, dark curtains. 'Thank god'. Suites were pretty much all the same in every upper-class hotel around the world.

Once under the strong spray of the shower, he relished the hot water pounding down on his cold skin, warming him from the outside. He took the soap from the little shelf on the shower wall and started to lather his upper body and arms, letting the subtle vanilla scent envelope him.

When he closed his eyes his mind drifted off on its own accord, conjuring pictures of 'her', standing with him under the spray, running her hands over his shoulders, down his chest, stroking the firm muscles with her delicate hands.

"Chloe." Her name came out in a hoarse whisper.

When his eyes snapped open, he realized with a growl that his body had reacted immediately to his little fantasy. Lex let them drift shut again with a defeated sigh as he reached down and took his hard shaft in a tight grip to bring himself off with fast practiced strokes. He imagined it was 'her' doing it, tried to remember the way she felt, pressed against him, placing kisses all over his chest, her breath trickling his skin, her tongue laving a path up his throat, catching his Adam's apple between her lips. He came with a suppressed groan and cursed 'her' for still holding that much power over him.

He finished his shower quickly and got out. Wrapped in the standard complementary bathrobe he staggered back to the other room. When he entered, he realized that the maid had already taken his clothes while he had been in the bathroom. He walked over to the windows, giving the city a short once over, before he pulled the curtains closed.

Lex shuffled over to the bed, yanked down the sheets and threw away the stupid decor cushions, before he shrugged out of his robe and crawled into the oversized bed. Drawing the sheets over his head he forced his mind to go blank and within seconds was fast asleep, a deep frown still etched on his features.


	7. Hangover Hell and Dateless Losers

Major shout outs and grateful humbling goes to Moonmaid aka Not An Addict again and this time also her roommate and her (brother/friend/rommate?) Nick for in depth help with and suggestions for the ultimate date from hell.

**Chapter 7 ~ Hangover Hell and Dateless Losers**

_Chicago_

Lex woke up to the feeling of someone banging a sledgehammer against his temples. Groaning in pain, he put the pillow over his head, but even that didn't help. He pushed himself up in the bed and realized that the banging did not just come from inside his head. There was someone knocking on the door rather insistently. Cursing under his breath, he stood up, and put on the robe that was still lying beside the bed. He shuffled over to the door and opened it a fraction, squeezing his eyes against the obnoxious artificial light in the hallway. On the other side of the door stood a small Asian woman in a maid uniform, holding up his clothes and shooting him a sweet smile.

"Gimme a second." Lex reached over to the stool beside the door for his wallet and pulled out a twenty. He handed it to the grateful woman, grabbed his clothes and shut the door in her face.

He threw his clothes onto the bed and walked over to the telephone on the nightstand. He snatched it from the receiver and pushed the button that would connect him to room service.

"Yes, this is Luthor Suite 1305, I want coffee, black with sugar on the side, a bottle of TyNant, two, no make that four aspirin and the Financial Times. Thank you, ah and order a taxi for me, for -" He glanced at his watch, displaying it was 8:30 am. "- 9 am sharp. That's all." He hung up the phone.

After a quick shower and dressed in his once again flawless outfit, he had just a few moments to draw open the curtains. He winced at the intruding light that did nothing to help his headache, when another knock on the door announced the arrival of room service. A quick glance at his watch revealed that it was 8:45.

As soon as the boy was gone, Lex downed some coffee, then swallowed the aspirin with half a bottle of TyNant. He tucked the newspaper under his arm and left the room as it was to make his way to the reception and check out.

At 9 pm exactly, he left the hotel in a taxi that took him back to the parking lot where he had left his own car the night before.

Once he was seated in his Spider, he pulled his cell out of the glove compartment where he had left it and turned it on. First things first, he checked the calendar for his meetings. He groaned when he read the entry. He had about three hours to get back to Metropolis and prepare for a full length board meeting. The headache that had slightly diminished came back in full force. Lex let loose a string of choice words, revved the engine and started the drive back to Metropolis at a breakneck speed.

_London_

"Oh come on Lance, it's just one little date! No commitments. You'll see you'll like it!" Dan whined, chasing after a very annoyed and caffeine deprived Chloe.

"I said 'no' Dan. I don't want a date, let alone a blind date that you arranged!" Chloe shot him one of her patented death glares and kept on rushing down the street towards her favorite coffee shop, determined to get away from Dan or at least get some coffee into her system.

"Lance, it's not like I'm trying to hook you up with some stray pillock! The guy's nice, I promise, you'll like him." By now his voice had taken on a new level of whining.

"Hah, there you said it, you are trying to hook me up! I don't want - no scratch that - I don't need your help if I want to date someone! As it is I simply don't want to involve dating in my schedule." With this statement, both had arrived at the coffee shop and Chloe stormed into the establishment first, making a beeline for the counter.

Dan simply kept on arguing with her while she stood in line, not giving a toss about the other patrons.

"Listen to what you just said! You don't even have a real schedule! The only thing you do is work and sleep, little of the latter and far too much of the first! Charlie, you know I really like you, but damn you need at least some kind of social life you stubborn little twit!"

At that Chloe turned to face him, coffee to go in hand and gaping. She quickly regained her composure.

"I do have a social life, thank you very much!" she spat.

"Mind sharing? Give me one example?" Dan just raised an eyebrow and grinned at her.

"I...I…" Chloe was at a loss. Ok so maybe she had been lacking a bit in the social life department recently.

"See, that's what 'm talkin' 'bout. I'm sure you can't even remember the last time you had a date! You sure as hell haven't had one since I've known you and that'll be six months soon."

Chloe was a little shocked at his last statement. How had time passed so quickly, when it sometimes felt like it didn't move on at all?

"I… I'm just not ready yet for a new try. You know why!" she implored, looking at him like a lost little girl.

"No, I don't really know. Bloody hell that ponce must have pulled a real number on you! What was it? Caught him in the act with another bint, or what?" Dan couldn't get any details out of her when it came to her last relationship. She had only told him once that it had been a really hard break up and that she had left everything behind and came to London because of it.

"God no! He would never have betrayed me! It was… He just changed very much and … I couldn't live with him like that anymore. So I left. I just can't let him go… yet!" she confided, hoping she could make Dan understand and let go of his idea to hook her up with one of his friends. No such luck though.

"Hey, I understand, but that doesn't mean you can't go out with anyone, just for fun. Please, just this once, for me? I promise if it turns out to be awful you can…well you can…" He thought about his offer for a few moments, while they left the coffee shop and made their way down the street, back to the newspaper.

"Well then you can beat me to a bloody pulp and make me regret I was ever born!" he finished, grinning like a little boy.

"That's what I would do anyway, but it'll make it that much easier with your approval." Chloe grinned back.

"So it's a yes? Great! I promise you won't regret it, Lance. He's a really cool bloke and I'm sure you'll have a good time with him."

Chloe grudgingly agreed. "On one condition! That guy arranges everything and you make sure he knows that I'm a no-go in the relationship department. I don't want to have to put work into this and even less to spend the whole night trying to convince him that I am not interested. This will simply be for fun." She waggled her forefinger at him while she voiced her conditions. Dan just nodded.

"And I still will beat you to a pulp if I am in any way not satisfied with the events of the evening!"

"Alright, Charlie. I'll tell him to arrange everything for Friday, is that ok with you?" Dan was still grinning, happy beyond belief that he had won an argument with the stubborn and seemingly relentless Charlize Lance.

"Yeah, ok. Tell him to pick me up at six." Chloe grumbled, not believing that she had just admitted defeat and had agreed to a so obviously stupid idea.


	8. First (and definitely last) Date

**Chapter 8 ~ First (and definitely last) Date**

Friday came much too soon and Chloe had more than once thought about chickening out of her arranged date, but she had never been one to back out of a challenge. And that was what this date was for her after all; a challenge to see if she really had the guts to go on with her life and leave the past behind. And of course a way to show Dan that she could have a social life, if she chose to.

Preparing for a blind date was a horrible task. How should she decide what to wear? It was not that she cared if that guy would like her outfit; it was that she didn't know what he had planned, a problem she had brought on herself when she had delegated him to arrange everything. So after a good two hours of rummaging through her closet, she had decided on something "casual, but with style", as she referred to it. A cream-colored blazer over a red blouse with a low cut v-neck with lapels and plain blue jeans. Good enough to be let into one of the nobler restaurants without being frowned upon and casual enough if he decided to do something more sportive.

By now, she already knew his name, Bryan Hamill, but that was about it. Dan had assured her over and over again that Bryan was a nice 'bloke' and had insisted to leave any further description to the guy himself and his first appearance.

5:45 pm, Chloe noted the time on the clock in her kitchen, when she pulled a bottle of water out of the fridge and gulped down some aspirin with it. She suffered constant headaches since she stood under the stress of working more than 14 hours every day.

Leaving the kitchen she headed for her couch and was just about to flop down on the soft leather, when the doorbell rang. 'Damn, he's early.' Sighing deeply, she went over to the door and opened it gracefully. She could hardly stop herself from doing a double take in shock when her visitor and date of the evening came into view.

Before her stood a nearly perfect rip off of her old high-school friend and, back then, long-term crush Clark Kent. The Clark look alike flashed a dimpled smile when he saw the beautiful woman in front of him, gaping and staring at him in awe.

"Hey Charlize, I'm Bryan, uhm is there something on my face I don't know about?" He started to shift from foot to foot nervously while it took Chloe another moment to snap out of it.

"Oh, sorry! It's just that you remind me of someone I knew." She shook her head to clear it. "Actually, you could be his twin," she said, chuckling lightly under her breath.

"Oh, uhm someone you liked, I hope?" He shot her another nervous smile.

"Oh yeah, he was a nice guy, a bit annoying at times, though." She grabbed her coat behind the door and put it on.

"So, what have you planned for tonight?" She made him step back a bit, closing the door behind them and locking it.

"Well I thought movie and then dinner at my favorite restaurant. Ok with you?" Yet another nervous smile.

'God is he insecure!' "Sure, let's go." She headed the way to the elevator not even looking back because she was sure he would follow like a good puppy.

On the way to the movie theater she had gotten him to spill most of the details of his life, without giving him more information on her own than was strictly needed. It turned out he was even more boring than a Dawson's Creek rerun on Saturday night! Loving family, proud parents, football player in high school and college, three years service in the army and after that a job as an insurance salesman at the Aspen Insurance UK.

What in heaven and earth had possessed Dan to try and hook her up with this walking pill of Valium? Chloe groaned inwardly and gritted her teeth deciding to survive this evening and then make Dan pay dearly.

In an attempt to surprise her, Bryan refused to tell her which movie they were going to watch. He even held his hand over her eyes to make sure she didn't see the posters or the add-screen over the entrance. When they were finally seated, Chloe took in her surroundings and a close look at the rest of the audience. Most of them where young, in fact they looked like they were barely out of high school. Sighing in defeat, Chloe hoped for the best, but already had a feeling it would rather be the worst.

'Yup, I'll definitely beat Dan to death for this.' She watched the opening credits for the latest brainless Vin Diesel action movie, that were interrupted by explosions and overwhelming special effects and tried hard to suppress her instinct to stand up and leave on the spot. Glancing over at Bryan she saw that he was already absorbed by the movie, transfixed by the happenings on screen. Chloe rolled her eyes and leaned back in her chair, deciding to try and work over her latest story in her mind.

Two hours later she was released from her temporary custody of watching a wanna be suave action hero saving the world from destruction, rescuing four to five spineless, whining damsels in distress and cracking lame ass jokes. Stepping into the fresh night air, Chloe took a deep breath and tried to banish this experience from her memory. That proved to be rather hard, given the circumstance that Bryan didn't stop swooning, yes swooning, over the incredible acting skills of Vin Diesel and the greatness of the flick in general.

Chloe wanted nothing more than to stop this insufferable torture called date, but realized she had no chance pulling the 'it's already late' card as it was Friday and not even 9 pm yet. So she flashed Bryan a bright fake smile and did everything in her power to change the topic and keep it away from anything action related.

At least the restaurant he had picked was decent, a nice little Italian, downtown, complete with red and white checkered tablecloths and white, long stem candles in the middle of each table. A waiter came over as soon as they were seated to hand them the menus and ask them to choose their drinks. Seeing that Bryan obviously had no clue about wine, by the lost puppy look he shot her, Chloe ordered a bottle of not too expensive French Château de Bellevue red wine.

Bryan shot her a grateful, dimpled smile and they proceeded to go through their respective menus. Chloe relished in the momentary pause of communication. She was again growing a headache and tried to soothe the light throbbing in her temples by massaging one of them slowly without attracting attention to it. Thankfully it worked.

The waiter appeared again, asking if they had decided. Chloe ordered the Lasagna Primavera, while Bryan had decided on - surprise, surprise - Spaghetti Bolognese. 'God! Can he be any more boring?' Chloe once again growled inwardly but kept her fake smile plastered firmly on her face. If she had learned one thing during her life with Lex, it was how to keep a mask on your face, no matter what. 'Oh, dangerous waters.' She had promised herself not to think about 'him' at all. A frown crossed her face unchecked and Bryan caught it.

"Is something the matter?" His expression was worried. He was probably afraid he had done something wrong. He had indeed, but she was not about to tell him that.

"No, it's ok, I was just thinking about some problems with my latest article that I have to work out, so I hope you won't mind if we don't pull this out too long tonight 'cause I really have to tend to that first thing tomorrow." 'Nice save Chloe. Got a reason to shorten this torture; plus a block on the can I take you home and come in for some 'coffee' routine.' She flashed a true smile at this thought.

"Oh, of course, that's no problem. It's only shortly after nine, though. I'm sure we still have a little time, right?"

"But of course, what a date would I be if I left you that early because of my work?" 'The kind of date I want to be' she answered inwardly.

Bryan just flashed another one of his cheeky grins at her and proceeded to drone on about something or other that went through his mind. Chloe didn't know what it was and she didn't care. She went through the motions, nodding and smiling at the right intervals and praying to a God she didn't believe in that this date would end soon.

When the tone of his voice suddenly changed midway through their meal she snapped back to attention.

"You know, I really like your eyes, they have such a wonderful vivid color, a piercing blue. I bet you could put a man under a spell with those eyes alone." He gave her what should probably pass for a seductive smile.

Chloe blinked once, twice. 'Did he just?' Had he just tried to flirt with her? And pulled one of the oldest lines, no less? Plus he had said her eyes were blue. 'God at least take a real look, before you pull such lines, jerk.' She decided to let that slide though and answered with a polite 'thank you'.

"Charlize, I have to tell you something. I … know that you don't want to have a relationship right now, Dan told me that, but I… how should I tell you this." He stopped for a second to look at a spot on the tablecloth. "Usually, I'm very shy, but with you I feel like I can talk about anything, that we really have a connection." With that he crossed the table in a flash and tried to kiss her.

Totally shocked, Chloe drew back on reflex as Bryan tried to lean in. He lost his momentum and when he tried to get a grip on something he accidentally tripped over the glass of wine in front of Chloe, spilling all its contents over her cream-colored blazer.

That was the end of the line! Chloe grabbed her coat, sprung up from her chair and started telling him off, not caring that she was causing a scene or who was there to see it.

"Enough already! How dare you hit on me? You are the most boring, witless and insufferable person I had to put up with in decades! You actually think we have a connection?" Her voice rose with every word "Well, if we did have a connection, you would have realized two hours ago, that I hate stupid action movies, when I zoned out even before the story started. Or you would at least have tried to tie me into the conversation and get to know me instead of indulging in your memoirs for thirty minutes straight! Or you would, at the latest, have noticed that I didn't listen to a single word you said through our whole 'conversation'-" She made air quotes around that word. "- here in the restaurant. But no! Not in the least! Instead you have the audacity to hit on me and give me bull about my eyes. Newsflash buddy, they are hazel! And look at my clothes for god's sake! You klutz ruined my favorite blazer! That's it, I'm leaving. And don't you dare even think about contacting me again!"

With that said, Chloe breezed out of the restaurant and into the next taxi, leaving Bryan behind, looking like a fish on land and wondering just what the hell had possessed Dan to try and set him on that harpy. Around him, the other patrons tried more or less successfully to suppress their laughter and went on eating, ignoring the man still standing beside the table looking seriously befuddled.

Once she closed her apartment door behind her, Chloe exhaled a large breath of relief. She leaned into the wood for support for a while, before she threw off her coat and walked straight over to her phone. Picking it up, she hit speed dial two, and waited for the connection to go through. The answering machine picked up on the other end.

"Hey this is Dan, I'm not here right now, but you can leave me a message. Bye"

"Dan, it's Charlie, you and I are going to have a word on Monday, clear? Bring some band aids buddy, you will suffer for what I had to go through!" She hit the disconnect button and threw the phone onto the couch. Shedding her ruined clothes on the way, Chloe went to the bedroom where she fell onto the mattress like a stone and vowed never to date again, ever!


	9. A Simple Plan

In this chapter I had immense help from my friend and co-author Blue. Without her, this chapter wouldn't be here at all!

**Chapter 9 ~ A Simple Plan**

Lex stifled another groan. Those seemed to want to escape his throat every other minute during this torture that called itself an important board meeting. The throbbing in his temples had worsened and threatened to blow up his head any minute now, as he listened haphazardly to one of his advisors prattling on about the plans to take over another company. The company refused to play along and nothing had worked up until now to persuade them, though they were on the edge of going bankrupt.

"So we thought the best way would be to pull back completely and let them see that there is nothing out there to help them. Then when they find out that they will go bankrupt and over their heads in debt they will come running back to us asking for our help!" the advisor finished with what he must think was a victorious grin.

Lex suppressed a sigh of relief figuring that this meeting was over now as soon as he gave his consent to this tactic. Standing up from his chair at the head of the table he gave the other man a curt nod.

"Fine, arrange everything necessary and keep me updated with the progress. Gentlemen, anymore questions? No, then this meeting is closed. Good day." Without another look at his executive staff he packed his briefcase and left the large meeting room in long strides, getting away from his temporary prison.

Once seated in his car he took a deep breath and started fishing for the aspirin in his glove compartment. Downing two he let his head sink back into the seat and let out the sigh and groan he had held in over the past two hours.

Lex closed his eyes, trying to drown out the noises of the city and concentrate on his breathing instead. That, along with the aspirin, helped to dull the pounding headache. As soon as he felt able to drive again, he made his way through the scarce late morning traffic to his penthouse.

He entered the large foyer, the doors of the elevator sliding silently shut behind him. Lex's eyes traveled unseeing over the inside of his penthouse, not taking in the expensive, state of the art furniture and decorations. The only reason he had moved here, after his stupid stint in Chicago, was the fact that 'she' had never set foot in it. Throwing his briefcase and coat carelessly onto the backrest of the couch, he made his way directly into the master bedroom.

Lex swiftly removed his clothes down to the black silk boxers and unceremoniously flopped down onto the soft mattress of the king size four-poster, groaning contentedly when his head sunk into the smooth cushions. Rolling over onto his back, Lex pulled the comforter with him and closed his eyes, vowing to get a good day's worth of sleep. He wouldn't confront the big bad world outside this room for at least the next 15 hours.

The phone next to his bed started ringing. "Fuck!" His curse was muffled by the pillow he had buried his nose in.

Lex ripped the phone from the cradle and bellowed into it. "Luthor." His secretary was on the other end of the line.

While she prattled on about a business dinner that was set for next week, he made a mental note to fire her and get a person with a less annoying and much less high-pitched voice. Maybe he should have gotten a male secretary after all, fuck the rumors. "Ok Miss Miller. Listen. I want you to cancel all my meetings for today, and no phone calls to my penthouse. No matter what ok? Good, thank you. That is all." He hung up the phone and remembered to turn off his cell, before falling back onto the mattress.

Within minutes he was asleep, the medication had won against his overactive brain for the first time in days.

Lex stirred in the bed, slowly waking up from a deep, dreamless sleep. He felt rested for the first time in weeks, hell months. Actually he hadn't been sleeping well or for more than a few hours ever since 'she' had left him. Almost eight months ago now.

He groaned 'Here we go again'. A few days after she had made her final exit, Lex had vowed to get her out of his mind and heart for good. Needless to say, he hadn't succeeded. Instead he spent most of his time thinking about a way to get her back, when he wasn't working or drinking himself into a stupor.

Remembering his recent hangover, he opted for work. As he made his way over to the closet, he thought about the board meeting this morning and tried to remember what the minion had prattled on about.

"…_ stocks are plummeting daily, they are fending off, by my count, three hostile takeovers and workers are leaving in droves…"_

While he pulled out a pair of sweatpants, and an old t-shirt from one of the bottom drawers, he vowed not to zone out on meetings anymore. It made the work at home that much harder.

"_…a scandal that was hushed up involving the CEO and a young intern…_

There had to be some useful information in all that crap. What had the man said again? Lex racked his brain while he put on his comfy clothes.

_"…cash flow issues created by the myriad of problems…"_

He made his way back into the living room, growling at the incompetence of his staff when it came to getting to the point.

"_…there is an infestation of rats…"_

He walked over to his briefcase, getting out the files. 'The word Eureka seems appropriate.' He smirked. So it was about the takeover of yet another company. He strode over to the couch, files in hand, and flipped on the television to have at least some background noise. 'Wouldn't do to nod off, reading this inane babble that calls itself a report.

_"…easily hack into their system and wreak havoc…"_

Skimming over the text, his eyes caught on a highlighted line. 'Gretchen Tactic' were the two words marked with a yellow highlighter. 'Ok, so the guy reads Goethe, but what the fuck?' Suddenly the lines slammed back into his head.

"_So we thought the best way would be to pull back completely and let them see that there is nothing out there to help them. Then when they find out that they will go bankrupt and over their heads in debt they will come running back to us asking for our help!_"

"Fuck that's it!" He yelled, his voice ringing through the empty rooms.

His mind suddenly came up with a totally different connection that had nothing to do with the takeover and everything to do with 'her'. He could have her back. All he had to do was push her away! If he showed her that he wanted a final solution, she would come running back to him, seeing how wrong she had been. It was the perfect plan.

He dumped the files on the couch beside him, hurrying over to the phone on the office desk at the window. Picking up the cordless, he hastily punched in a number he knew by heart; the number of his private lawyer Samuel Steinberg.

Drumming his fingers impatiently on the wooden surface of the table, Lex waited for the other end of the line to be picked up. After the third ring a rather drowsy and considerably pissed off male voice answered him.

"What the hell? Whoever this is, I hope you realize that it is 3 fucking am!"

Lex was taken aback for a moment and glanced at his watch, noting for the first time that it was indeed the wee hours of the morning. "Fuck sorry, Sam. It's Lex. I need your help."

He was cut off by Steinberg before he could say more. "Luthor I thought I had made it clear that I won't bail anyone out of jail that early in the day, not even you! What's up anyway? We haven't talked in years! Not since your lovely wife thought it would be a good idea to break into a corporate investment building to dig up some dirt on them. Oh, how is Chloe anyway?"

Samuel was rambling and Lex swallowed hard as he remembered that the man wouldn't know about their break up. Samuel Steinberg never paid attention to gossip. It was a blow to the gut though, as it brought back memories of a better time. But these times would return. Lex had a plan, after all.

"Listen Sam, I need you to do me a favor. I know this will shock you, but I need you to set up divorce papers for me as soon as possible. I'll tell you the whole story when we meet. Can you get everything ready til tomorrow afternoon? It is really important."

Samuel was silent for a moment, obviously letting the confusing and very fragmented information sink in.

"Okay," he strung out the word. "I think I can manage that. But you better give me a damn good explanation tomorrow why you would want to divorce a jewel like Chloe."

Lex nodded before he realized that Sam wouldn't be able to see him. "All right, I'll see you tomorrow, then. Four pm at the Skylight?"

Steinberg gave an affirmative grunt and both hung up.

Lex was hyper with his new found hope. He would meet with Sam at the café tomorrow afternoon and if everything worked out like he planned he would have her back, sooner rather than later

Lex strode confidently through the café, making a beeline for the huge veranda doors that led outside to the sun terrace of the building. When he stepped out into the afternoon sunlight, he held a hand over his eyes, sweeping the surroundings with a glance, searching for the familiar figure of Sam Steinberg.

His gaze came to rest on one of the far tables at the back of the terrace a little off from the rest of the patrons. Sam was sitting behind one of the small white tables, an iced tea in front of him, smoking a cigarette, while he leafed through the latest issue of the Planet. Lex made his way over and announced his arrival to his friend by clearing his throat.

Steinberg looked up from his paper and acknowledged him with a nod, before speaking. "This paper publishes ninety percent bullshit since Chloe doesn't work for them anymore. I seriously consider changing to the Inquisitor." He grinned and stood up, offering his hand for Lex to shake.

Lex took it and pressed it firmly for a moment, before letting go. "Good to see you, Sam." Both men sat down on opposite ends of the table and took a deep breath.

"You look like hell, Lex," Sam said, taking in the other man's appearance. To the outside world, Sam was sure that Lex looked fine. But, after representing him for a few years, he knew the telltale signs of Lex under pressure. The circles under the man's eyes and the tenseness in his shoulders told Sam that something was most definitely up.

"That is not important now. If everything works like I planned it, I'll be better very soon." Lex smirked as he thought of the plan that he was about to get on the road with Sam's help. First, however, there was the uncomfortable part of explanation to get out of the way.

Sam was instantly intrigued by Lex's words but, at the same time, quite apprehensive. "It's not something that's going to get me disbarred, is it?"

A light chuckle escaped Lex's throat at that comment. Both men knew that in the past, Sam had more than once done things that could not only have him disbarred, but surely arrested and locked away for a few years on top of that. "No, it's something absolutely legal. I told you last night. I want a divorce."

"I just assumed you were drunk," Sam said, smiling. When he saw that Lex was indeed serious, he signaled the waiter. "Bourbon, double," he said shortly. "Ok, Lex, explain."

The billionaire took a deep breath, preparing to dig up the most painful memory of his whole life and once more bring it to the surface. His gaze drifted to the middle distance as he remembered the day his wife made her final exit.

"She left me," he said calmly, trying to suppress the empty, cold feeling in the pit of his stomach as he spoke the words aloud for the first time. "She said she couldn't live with what I'd become or something along those lines and then she up and left, disappearing to places unknown."

It was a lie, because Lex still remembered her exact words. He remembered the way she had looked on that day, her face, her voice, the look in her eyes. He almost did a double take at the memory of her stricken hazel gaze, looking down on him full of sadness and regret.

At that moment, the waiter arrived with the bourbon. Lex snatched it from the plate and downed it in one pull, before telling the waiter to bring two more.

"Hell, Lex. I'm sorry. I didn't know." Sam looked genuinely shocked, he had always liked Chloe. "But, can I be honest?" he asked, looking across the table at Lex.

When Lex nodded curtly Sam continued, "I'm still surprised that you would give her up without a fight. Try to prove her wrong. I mean, Chloe's quite a woman. She's the only one I've ever seen with balls enough to stand up to you. Figuratively speaking, of course."

Lex gave his companion a curt nod. "Yeah I know, but as I said, when she left me, she disappeared from the face of the earth. I tried everything! Hired the best men you could get, but they couldn't find her. She could hide herself better than the State Marshals could a crown witness. There were no traces left to follow her. Nothing! Believe me, if there had been a way, she'd be back in my house where she belongs and not still wandering around god knows where, with god knows whom after nearly eight months." He was aggravated at his failure to find his own wife. That was why he came up with this plan, anyway.

"So, by divorcing her...you figure she'll what, come running back into your arms. Cause, Lex, this is not exactly the best of your dastardly plans that I've ever heard." The waiter returned with their drinks and Sam downed his. "Frankly, it sucks."

"I know it might seem so, but Sam, you know her. It has always been like that. We got into a fight, she disappeared for a few days then she came back. Only this time, I think I have to convince her to come back." Lex picked up his drink and took a swig. "She told me herself she still loved me before she left." He knew it was not really what she had told him, but that didn't matter now. "If she thinks she's losing me for good, she will come back, I'm sure, or she will at least turn up to sign the papers." Lex fervently hoped it would not be the latter.

Sam regarded Lex. "I don't know," he said, slowly. "I think that it'll just piss her off more. However, you don't pay me to judge your decisions, just to get you out of your bad ones. I'll have the papers drawn up. But, if as you say, Chloe's unreachable, how will she know that you've started the divorce proceedings?"

Lex's expression turned grim. His lips pressed together in a firm line, before he answered. "I'll make sure she knows. If I make it public, it will be front page news in every newspaper around the world: 'Luthor Marriage in Ruins' or 'Bald Billionaire Bachelor Again' if it's the Inquisitor." He gave a derisive snort as he mentioned the latter paper. "She'll know and she will react, I'm sure of that." He downed the rest of his drink, putting the glass down hard on the table. "When can you have the papers ready?"

Sam was momentarily at a loss for words at the monumental mistake that Lex was about to make. He realized that the man was at the proverbial end of his rope, but this was only going to make it worse. However, Sam didn't want to risk being on the business end of Lex's wrath. "By tomorrow morning," he said. "If you're completely sure about it that is..." He trailed off.

Lex nodded once in the affirmative. "I am sure, I'll come to your office and we'll get this on the road, say 9 am tomorrow?"

When Sam agreed, Lex got up from the table and threw a fifty down. "I'll see you tomorrow then," he said, while reaching his hand out to the lawyer.

Sam stood and shook Lex's hand. "For what it's worth, I hope this works," Sam said. "You two -" He looked down at the table, unbelieving that the words were really going to come out of his mouth. "You two were right together."

A regretful smile came upon Lex's lips as he acknowledged the truth in the older man's words. "Yes, we were, and I hope we'll be again." He turned away and walked out of the café and back to his car, hoping that his plan would work. As much as he couldn't live without his work, he could live less without her by his side.

A few days later, the news of his divorce was spread across the world, as predicted, on the front page of every major newspaper. She would know by now and all he had to do was to wait for her to make the next move.


	10. London Calling

A/N: Another chapter out, and again it wouldn't be here without Blue holding my hand. Special Guest Star from part two of the call: Blue as Lois Lane

**Chapter 10 ~ ****London**** Calling**

Chloe brought her coffee to the table, sat down and absently picked up the Sunday morning issue of the 'London Times'. She lifted her cup and took a swig, spitting it out immediately when she read the headline on the front page.

**_LEX LU_****_THOR_****_ F_****_ILI_****_NG FOR DIVORCE:_** _famous American multibillionaire Lex Luthor officially announced filing for divorce from his missing wife Chloe Luthor - Sullivan_.

"What the fuck!?" Chloe slammed the mug down on the table and skimmed over the article.

_In a press conference early yesterday morning, Lex Luthor, multibillionaire, CEO of Lexcorp and world wide famous businessman, announced his filing for divorce. He stated that his wife had been missing for months now, since she had left their house, after a fight about private issues. Since she apparently showed no intention to return, Mr. Luthor would "see no reason to remain in the state of marriage"  
_  
Chloe had seen enough. She was breathing through her nose, her eyes blazing with fury and her nostrils flaring with the deep breaths she took. "That asshole! He wants a divorce? He can have it!"

She stalked over to her phone, ripping it from the set, punching in a number she hadn't dialed for over a year. After three rings, the other end of the line was picked up.

"Lois, it's me Chloe, I need your help and I need it now! Did you see what that asshole did? Have you been at the press conference? He's filing for divorce! This soddin' prick is actually filing for divorce! I can't believe it! I mean, yes I left him, but still, how dare he!?"

On the other end of the line and also on the other end of the Atlantic Ocean, a seriously confused Lois was looking first at her alarm clock, which flashed 4:00 am, then back at the phone in her hand incredulously. "Chloe?"

Chloe heard the sleepiness in her cousin's voice and looked across the room to the clock above her fridge. "Oh fuck, Lois sorry, I didn't mean to call so early, I'll... I'll get back to you later, maybe anyway. Sorry, forget I called."

Lois was instantly awake. "Chloe STOP!" she yelled into the receiver, praying to the powers that be that her cousin hadn't hung up already. After a few seconds, where Lois held her breath and was sure her heart had paused beating, she heard Chloe coming through again.

"Yeah?"

Lois breathed a sigh of relief. "Dammit girl, where have you been?" Now it was Lois' turn to go into serious rant mode. "I mean I know we haven't spoken too much when you were still here, mostly when _I_ called _you_ but, why the hell did you just up and leave? I mean one time I speak with you, you tell me everything is fine with you and Lex, then I hear nothing from or about you for months, but have to watch Lex Luthor becoming a fucking hell raiser, and then another few months later, I get a call from Perry, telling me to go to a press conference, concerning said hell raiser, where I have to hear that he is filing divorce from my cousin, whom I haven't spoke to in eight fucking months!" She took a deep breath after her rant, before continuing. "Chloe, I was worried sick! What happened, where are you?"

Chloe had flopped down on the couch, feeling really bad for what she had done to Lois. The girls had been close ever since college and only drifted apart slightly after Chloe had gotten married to Lex. She took several calming breaths and started to tell her story.

"I'm sorry I lied the last time we talked. I had to. It was all such a mess. I didn't realize at first how Alexander was changing. He seemed to be the same, even happier, after his father died and he seemed free and relaxed, at least when he was around me. He started to change under my very nose and I didn't see it, Lois." Her voice sounded bitter and tired as she retold the story. "It got worse with every day that passed. Once I realized, I fought it every step of the way, but I wasn't strong enough. I had to leave, Lois. But I knew he wouldn't let me." Chloe shook her head sadly, getting up from the couch and walking over to the fridge to get herself a drink. She didn't do that very often, but sometimes, she just had to. "The only chance I had was to totally vanish from this planet and delete everything Chloe Sullivan." She returned to the couch with a martini in hand.

Meanwhile, on the other end of the line, Lois had stepped into the kitchen and set upon making herself coffee. "But why didn't you at least tell your dad or me for that matter?" She heaped three spoons of the dark brown powder, shot a quick glance at the clock on the wall and added another two spoons, before snapping the lid shut and starting the coffee machine.

"I couldn't, Lois. If I had told anyone, Lex would have found out and neither you nor I would have been safe. I was sure he would come after me and he did, didn't he?" Chloe asked, a little unsure. In a way, she had wanted Lex to find her, to apologize and ask her to come home. 'Yeah, sure. No chance in hell that would ever happen,' her mind scoffed.

Lois snorted into the receiver that was now clamped between her ear and shoulder, pouring herself a cup of coffee while simultaneously lighting up a cigarette. "Can't tell for sure if he did, but if the tons of money he spent on private eyes and tracking devices for phone and email are anything to go by, I'd say he definitely tried to find someone. And I can't think of anyone else he would spend a good million dollars for, just to find out their whereabouts."

Chloe chuckled at that. "When did you start smoking again? I thought I talked you out of it?" She chucked down her drink and contemplated the thought of Lex trying desperately to find her, yet failing miserably. 'Damn I'm good,' she thought, 'Maybe a little too good. See where it got ya?' the evil voice in her head piped up. Chloe groaned.

Lois scoffed, taking the cigarette out of her mouth and exchanging it for a healthy swig of coffee. "Hmm, heaven," she murmured, before answering her cousin. "I picked it up again when your father started calling me on a weekly basis about two months ago, sick with worry, because his baby girl had vanished from the face of the planet, pun intended." She made her way over to the couch, flopping down on the worn fabric and pulling the ashtray from the table, laying it down on the couch beside her.

Chloe sighed deeply and pinched the bridge of her nose. "Fuck. Lex must have told him I was gone. And he probably made it sound like it wasn't on purpose or because he was being an utter son of a bitch! Is he ok? Dad I mean?" She was worried her dad might have had a heart attack.

Lois took a long drag on her cigarette before answering Chloe. "I wouldn't use the term 'ok' to describe Gabe. He's beside himself with worry and he's been calling Lex everyday for updates. Now that this story has broken, he's more confused than anything else. Let's just say that you may have to worry about Gabe more than Lex."

"Fuck," Chloe cursed under her breath. "Listen, can you tell Dad that I'm ok? But get it through his thick skull that none of this is to seep through to Lex. Oh, and I need you to do me a favor, Lois." She trailed off, waiting for her cousin's answer.

"Of course, I can tell your father that you're fine. But, I hope that you do realize that he's going to ask me approximately three hundred questions about our conversation. He's even worse than you sometimes, I swear. And, sweetie, the minute that Gabe knows you're fine, Lex will, too. He'll be able to tell from the way your dad is acting. As for your other request-" There was a long silence on the other end of the line before Chloe heard her cousin sigh.

"Why do I think that this favor is going to be something illegal or very unwise?" she asked, not really expecting an answer from her cousin.

"Double Fuck and Shit." Chloe hadn't thought about that. "Ok, forget about telling my Dad, he'll just have to suffer through it. Listen, the favor I want to ask you is, well actually it's two favors." Chloe took a deep breath. "Ok, first, I need you to get me the number of Samuel Steinberg. He's Alexander's old lawyer and I'm sure he's involved in this. I trust Sam with my life and I need to talk to him." She waited for confirmation by Lois.

"Sure, Chloe, whatever you say. Of course, in my sleep addled state, it took me a second to realize who Alexander was, I'll never get used to that. And the second thing?" she asked as she wandered back to her bedroom.

"Well, the second thing is the slightly illegal one," Chloe mumbled before continuing a little louder. "Do you still know Kenny from the phone company? And more importantly, does he still owe you?" Chloe crossed her fingers hoping that was the case.

"I don't know if I want to answer this question," Lois said, hesitantly. She was always up for a good story and if laws had to be broken, so be it. However, she could see where Chloe was going with this and wasn't sure if she wanted to be at the business end of a Luthor lawyer. 'Hey, you only live once,' she thought. She sighed, "Yes, I still know him. And, by now, he owes me about three. So, just tell me what I have to do so I can start plotting."

"The thing is none of the phone calls between you and me or me and Sam respectively can show up on the call reports. In short, they never can have happened! He has to do this for me; otherwise, Lex will get to me faster than you can say 'Pulitzer'."

Chloe went on to describe her plan to Lois. "I need to talk to Sam, because I have to find out if Lex can go through with the divorce, even if I don't come out of hiding. I distinctly remember a law, but I'm not sure, so I have to ask Sam. After that I will decide how to react but I will definitely need your help in any case. Also, when I email you, which I most definitely will, you have to delete the messages immediately after you read them and see to it that they can't be restored." Chloe took a deep breath. "I know I sound paranoid, but I know Alexander, he will go to any lengths and he will find me, if there is a snowball's chance in hell."

"Chloe, I don't think you're paranoid," Lois said as she flopped down on the bed. "However, you are going to owe me, big time for this one. You can give me some of the numerous millions from your divorce settlement and we'll call it even." Lois paused for a second, mulling over the situation. "Unless," Lois said, slowly. "The whole reason that you're this upset is because, even through all of this, you still love Lex and never thought that he'd actually give up on you." Lois held her breath, interested in the reaction that she was sure to get from her cousin.

Chloe was silent for a minute. She didn't know how to answer her cousin truthfully without seeming incredibly stupid and retarded. "Lois, it's difficult I…" She trailed off, realizing that her hands were shaking.

Lois's voice softened. "It's ok, sweetie. I don't need an answer now. But, I do think it's something that you have to think about. The two of you get so caught up in beating the other one that you don't consider the price of winning. Just...just promise me you'll think about it?"

"I…I know what I feel, but I think it wouldn't make any sense if I tried to explain." Chloe whined, hating herself for it.

"Chloe, since when have you started explaining yourself to anyone, especially me? I just don't want another mistake to be made, that's all," Lois said, pulling back her sheets and climbing into bed.

"You don't understand Lois. I do love him, or better said, I love the person he was before his father bit the dust and everything went down the fucking drain!" Chloe shouted.

She realized for the first time that she had to get this off her chest. "I think about him constantly, I was on edge for the first two months, every time his name fell or I saw a man resembling him in a crowd. I dream about him every night, about the time when we were everything to each other and nothing else mattered. I haven't dated since I left him, well once but it was a total prick, because I can't stop comparing every single man I meet to him. I wake up in a sweat from nightmares of the last days I was with him. I can't sleep or eat properly, all I do is work and I started drinking for heavens sake! Me, who vowed never to touch any alcohol! I'm going insane without him, wondering every day when he will finally realize what he's done to us and return to the man he used to be. And after all this, after all the shit I've been through! He's filing for a fucking divorce! He's giving up on me. He never cared at all!" Chloe was breathing heavily, tears streaming down her face. She let them fall, it didn't matter. Nothing mattered anymore. "I just want to make him hurt like I do."

To say that Lois was stunned at her cousin's outburst would have been a vast understatement. She had never heard Chloe get so emotional about anything. "Ok, Chloe, between you and me, we'll make him rue the day that he was born. We'll make him beg on his knees for forgiveness, all the while realizing what a huge mistake he's made. And then, we'll go get drunk."

Chloe laughed through her tears, grateful for the unknown talents of her cousin. Lois had a way to make light of any situation and find a solution for every problem, especially when Chloe herself couldn't find a way anymore. "Ok, ok. Just call Sam, as soon as possible. Can you make it til…" She trailed off, checking the clock above the fridge again and calculating the time difference. "9 am your time? I'll call you then and get the number, then I'll call Sam and after that, I'll call you again, and we'll make a game plan. And please, make sure Kenny is informed before I call Sam, can you do that?"

"I'll take care of everything, Chloe. Kenny will come through, don't worry. And, I'll be waiting for your call," Lois said. "Take care of yourself, Chloe. Somehow, it'll work out. I love you."

"I love you, too, Lois. Thank you. I'll call you in about 4 hours then. Bye." Chloe hung up the phone and expelled a long breath.

'Fuck this is gonna be hell and back for the both of us. Why did you have to play that card Alexander? What did you expect?' Chloe got up from the couch and made her way over to the bathroom to take a shower.

"Fuck Sundays!" On her way, she picked up the newspaper from the table and ripped it to shreds, letting the pieces fall behind her back.


	11. Hit Me With Your Best Shot

**Chapter 11 ~ Hit Me with Your Best Shot**

Chloe eyed the phone from her seat on the couch or, more accurately, the scrap of paper that lay beside it. 8 digits scrawled on it in her own shaky handwriting. Her legs curled up under her body as she stared at the slip as if it might jump off the coffee table and bite her any moment now. Taking a deep breath she bent forward determinedly, only to get up and beat a hasty retreat to the kitchen to stall the inevitable for another few moments.

Chloe spared a glance at the clock, nervously biting her bottom lip while she retrieved a can of soda from the fridge. She'd just gotten off the phone with Lois again and now the number of Sam Steinberg lay there on the coffee table, silently waiting and mocking her.

She pulled on the lash of the soda can and of course her nail broke on it, right to the skin. "Fuck!" Agitated she left the evil perpetrator behind to rush over to the sink, letting cool water run over her throbbing index finger while she stared at the steady stream of water, her eyes unfocused and her mind blank for a blissful moment.

Giving the faucet a cruel hit with the flat of her palm she turned the water off and turned around, determined to just make this damn call and get the hell over with this whole situation.

Taking another deep breath she stalked back into the living room, her mouth set in a grim line. She snatched up the piece of paper in one hand and the cordless in the other and punched the numbers into the pad with brute force. The hand around the paper balled into a fist as she lifted the phone to her ear, waiting for the person on the other and to pick up.

"Steinberg and Wolff, Family, Divorce and Financial Attorneys, Steinberg speaking. What can I do for you?"

Chloe took a deep breath. 'Time to bite the bullet.'

"Sam, it's Chloe."

Silence on the other end then the creaking of leather and Chloe could swear she heard a pen hit the surface of a table.

"Sam?"

"Chloe? Oh my god, where are you? Are you ok? Where have you been, Lex will have a fit when I…"

Chloe butted in immediately. "Sam, Sam, hold. Alexander is not to know about this! Not a word understood? I have to ask you a favor and I want you to listen closely. We've been friends once and I hope I can still trust you. Can I trust you Sam?" She paused waiting for an answer by the man she hoped she could still trust as a friend and confident.

She heard footfalls on parquet now and a few moments later the unmistakable clinking of ice hitting a glass. Sam was without a doubt pouring a very large drink.

"Yes. Of course you can. God, Chloe tell me what happened? Lex is beside himself and when he came to me asking to file for his divorce I thought he was making some kind of sick joke. I can't believe it, what happened?" His tone was gruff with honest concern for the both of them and a sad smile crossed Chloe's face as she conjured up the face of a man that had helped Lex and her more than once over the course of the first few years.

"It's a long story Sam, I'm not sure you really want to know all of it." Chloe hesitated, she wasn't sure she really wanted to get into this.

"By all means elaborate. I want to know what the hell possessed Lex to come to me with this idiotic plan of his and I want to hear your side of the story to make some sense of what I am doing here."

Chloe's eyebrows flew to her hairline. "Plan? What do you mean plan?" Her eyebrows fell back and her expression turned into a scowl. "I should have known it. Bastard! So tell me Sam what has that dastard mastermind of his cooked up?"

There was some uncomfortable shifting on the other end and the sound of ice clinking in the glass again.

"Sam? Come on, tell me."

A deep sigh and Chloe could almost see Sam Steinberg running his hand through his hair and shaking his head. "The divorce thing is a sham. He doesn't really want to go through with it."

And why was it that her heart did a jump at this and Chloe felt the insane urge to sigh in relief.

"It's part of his plan to get you to come back to him and see the wrong of your leaving."

Her eyes narrowed to thin slits and the eerie sense of relief was replaced with indignation and seething anger. "My what!?" Her voice was sharp and just a little too loud on the last word.

She could practically hear Sam wincing on the other end.

"He thinks that this is all just some sort of phase and that all he needs to do is to make you see he won't fall for it. Lex was sure that once you heard of the divorce you'd come running back to talk him out of it. He's convinced that you'd never go through with it."

Chloe was high on anger and adrenaline. 'That presumptuous son of a…' "Oh, really?" Her voice was deceptively calm now.

"Sam, tell me is it true that this divorce can come through without a problem if I don't turn up within the next half year or something? I thought there was a law about divorce in absence of one of the spouses." Her tone was calculating and Chloe was inwardly crossing her fingers that she hadn't dreamed that law up.

Sam's long-suffering sigh before he answered her question brought a cold and satisfied smile to her face.

"Yes, there is. If you don't get into contact with Lex via a lawyer or personally within the next thirty days, and officials aren't able to find you, you will be reported missing and the divorce will go through." Chloe's smile widened.

"Good, fine. Then I want you to forget I ever called and Sam, don't you dare tell Alexander about this. Promise you will keep your mouth shut."

Another deep sigh on the other end. "I promise, but Chloe. Please tell me what happened now. You and Lex were just perfect together. What made you just up and leave like that?"

It was Chloe's turn to sigh and she took a long breath before she launched into the story of her and Lex and how everything had gone wrong in so many ways.

Lex was pacing his study, sending a threatening glare at all the extra equipment that now occupied the work space. All it took was a call or even just an email from Chloe and he'd know where she was hiding. She had to call, she just had to. Because if she didn't... No. Lex was not going to go down that road. She would call and she would come out of her hiding and apologize and soon everything would be back the way it belonged. She'd see that she'd been wrong about leaving him and he would forgive her and everything would be alright again.

He settled down in his desk chair and stared at the phone, willing it to ring already. Then he turned his glare on the laptop, waiting for the obnoxious technical voice to tell him he had mail. It didn't.

It had been three days since he had spread the news all over the world and still no reaction from Chloe. Lex knew she wouldn't be in a place so far from human civilization that she wasn't aware by now. That just wasn't her. Or was it? No. No it wasn't She knew and now she was making him wait. Three days now that he was sitting in front of his high-tech equipment and waiting for a sign of life from his AWOL wife. Not to mention the months that had come before those three days. Months that Lex Luthor had spent alternately working himself to exhaustion or out on the hunt for her.

Lex growled once more, sinking back into his leather chair in an ungraceful heap. Rubbing his hands over his face, trying to smooth away the lines that came with too much thinking and too little sleep he let go of a long breath. So she made him wait. That was ok. He could wait. But why did she make him wait so long dammit!

_'You've got mail.'_

His hands flew from his face as his whole body jerked forward. Lex practically pounced on his laptop.


	12. Break Me, Shake Me

**Chapter 12 ~ Break Me, Shake Me**

A few clicks later, the window popped up. The sender was listed as S-L_Chloe the open mail server of Lexcorp. The subject line was empty, so his gaze latched immediately onto the text. Only a handful of lines.

_Alexander,_

Since you obviously have come to a decision about our relationship, far be it from me to hold you back. You want the divorce? Fine! Don't expect me to show up for the signing of the papers, though. You'll get what you want eight months from now, and I am sure you'll be able to resist your primal urges until then. If you can't I am sure you'll be able to keep it under the rug.

Chloe

Lex reread the mail several times, shaking his head disbelievingly, over and over again.

"Impossible," he whispered. "She can't do that."

Without tearing his gaze away from the laptop, he reached for his phone, dialing the number blindly and lifting the receiver to his ear.

"Steinberg and Wolff, Family…"

"Sam, it's me." He interrupted his old friend before he could get the whole line out. "She e-mailed me. Tell me she can't do that."

"Uhm. Lex. I'm afraid you lost me." Sam sounded confused. How could he not understand what Lex was saying?

"She e-mailed me. She told me to go ahead. She isn't even going to sign the papers. Tell me she can't do that!" Lex forced through his teeth.

A deep sigh on the other end of the line had Lex closing his eyes in defeat.

"Lex, I'm afraid she can."

Lex shook his head in denial.

"As long as you and the officials can't find her within the next thirty days, she'll automatically be reported as missing and the divorce will go through without her ever even having to see a lawyer or sign any papers."

"No." It was the only thing he could think to say.

"I'm sorry, Lex." Sam's voice was filled with genuine worry and compassion. "I really don't know how I could help you beyond this anymore. Are you sure you don't wanna try and reconcile with her, maybe apolo..."

"No." This time it came out with more conviction and a lot colder. "I will not apologize! I was not the one who walked out and threw away everything we've built over the years. I didn't disappear from the face of the planet without so much as an explanation or one single attempt at working things out. She's the one who has to apologize, not me."

Sam sighed heavily on the other end. "Lex, sometimes it's not about being the one who made the mistakes, it is about being the first to make amends and find a way to mend what's been broken."

Lex's eyes narrowed. "I will not crawl on my knees for something 'she' has done wrong." He took a deep breath. "But I will find her, and we will have this out. I'll make her see that she doesn't prove anything with this."

"So will you revoke the divorce?" Sam sounded almost hopeful.

Lex thought about it for a moment, then shook his head. "No, if I revoke it now, she's simply gonna think she has won. Keep going with the divorce, I'm sure by the time it gets through this will already be long over and forgotten and I can still revoke as soon as she's back where she belongs."

"Lex, are you sure you want to risk that?" Sam's voice was filled with doubt, as if he knew Ch… 'her' better than Lex himself.

"I am sure. Goodbye, Sam."

Lex hung up the phone and his eyes focused on the words in her e-mail again. If you didn't know who it came from, the words sounded cold and detached, but he knew his wife. She'd been hurt by this move and he was willing to bet his last dollar that she didn't really want to go through with the divorce. Sure, in the heat of the moment she had sent him the e-mail telling him to go ahead, pretending she didn't care, but he knew she did. She couldn't fool him.

"I love you, and I know you love me too." He blindly reached into his desk drawer and pulled out the small box that he kept in there. Popping the lid open, his eyes fell on her wedding ring.

He'd picked it up that day, when she'd left, and put it in a small box. He'd kept it safe even as he'd thrown out the few other belongings that she'd left behind in a fit of rage.

"I will get you back. That's a promise," he said as he slowly ran his finger over the shining gold band inside the box.

Chloe leaned heavily on the counter in front of her, staring at her half empty glass of Guinness. Two hours ago, Lois would have sealed her fate. Of course it had actually been herself who'd done that, when she'd sent her email to Lois with instructions on how to forward it to Lex.

Now she was sitting in her favorite bar, morose and getting drunk off her ass on Irish dark beer. She didn't even know how she'd gotten herself through the working day first. Dan had recognized immediately that something was wrong and had only let up when she'd snapped at him in front of half the staff in the newsroom.

Of course, Dan Simmons being who he was, he had only given it a rest for the moment. As soon as they got let off for the day, he'd grabbed her by the elbow and let loose on a very stern talking to, involving quite a few vulgar Briticisms, and dragged her out and to his car. By that point Chloe had been too exhausted to protest, or even snark back at him.

He'd driven them to 'Phil's Pub' in silence, opened both the passenger side and entrance door for her and ushered her straight to the bar. After he'd practically positioned her on one of the stools Dan had ordered a pint for each of them and sat down next to her.

Chloe refused to say a word for the first half hour and two pints. Dan had accepted her silence and waited. Now she was on her third tall glass and she could feel the alcohol sluggishly making its way through her system. It had the rather unpleasant effect of loosening her tongue. Another unpleasant side effect was that it also made her not give a good god damn about that fact.

"You're an asshole," she muttered, cutting a glance towards Dan.

"And you're a silly bint if you think that's enough to get rid of me," the lanky blonde shot back at her.

"Your just asking for trouble, bringing me here," she said evenly.

"Trouble's my second name." He shrugged his left shoulder carelessly, like he so often did and took a swig of his own beer before he continued. "So want to tell me your story now?"

"There is no story." Her words were already a bit slurred from the alcohol.

"Uh huh, sure," he said and gave a disbelieving snort.

"Dan," she started pleadingly, but he cut her off.

"Listen, Charlie I'm your friend. We've known each other for quite a while now, and I'm not stupid."

She opened her mouth to protest but he held a hand up to stop her. When she fell silent, he quickly lit a cigarette and continued. "I remember clearly the first time I saw you," he mused. "Nearly eight months ago now, you showed up at our paper out of nowhere. Obviously an American bird and probably never been to London, or England for that matter, before. You were looking for a job and for some reason, Jacob hires you, without a decent resume or any proof that you'd ever worked as a reporter before."

Chloe bit her bottom lip and looked deeply into her glass at that. She hadn't known that Dan was aware of the circumstances under which she'd gotten hired. It hadn't been anything illegal. She had proven her capability with a couple of articles she'd written and never published anywhere.

"Then, for the first three months, you work like a machine, hardly speaking to anyone. Nobody knows anything about you that goes past the time you showed up. To top it off, you go stark barking mad at the oddest things," he went on. "Hell, sometimes it looked like all it took was seeing a bald guy on the streets."

Chloe expelled a huff at that. Dan obviously didn't know how close to home he was hitting.

"Somehow though, charming bloke that I am -" He smiled cockily at that. "- I manage to get to know you better and I think by now, I have a fairly good idea of who you are. Over time, you get settled in, you stop freaking out at odd occasions, things look to be going okay."

Chloe took a long drink from her glass, hoping Dan was finished with his little tale soon.

"Then a couple months ago," he snapped his fingers, "It's back to the barking madwoman. Sure, you were hiding it better, but I also happen to know you better, now. And today things came to a head. Bloody hell, even Marcy could see you were on a short fuse!"

Marcy was the most oblivious and self-involved person Chloe had ever met in her life. And she'd met quite a few of that sort. She pressed her lips together tightly and tried to get a grip on her own feelings.

"Are you finished," she asked with forced lightness.

"Almost," he answered evenly. "See, knowing all this and especially after today, there's no chance you can make me believe there is no story."

Chloe turned her head to her beer in resignation, staying silent.

"Hey, I may look like a model, but I am still a reporter, aren't I?"

She snorted a laugh at that and looked back at Dan with his tall, lanky build and long crooked nose in his otherwise handsome face. Big brown eyes sparkled back at her in mischief and she couldn't help but grin a little.

"Model my ass," she said dead-pan.

"What," Dan shot back indignantly, "You can't tell me this body isn't made for Calvin Klein and sexy Swedish Bikini girls plastering themselves all over it!" Dan grinned rakishly at her.

Laughing even harder, Chloe shook her head, tears leaking from the corner of her eyes. When she had calmed down from her fit, his grin softened into a comforting smile.

"Now that we got that settled. Come on Charlie, why don't you tell me your story?"

"Because you really don't wanna hear it," she answered hesitantly, "And I'm pretty sure I can't tell it again without having a complete breakdown." She stared at her glass and took another drink, emptying it completely.

Dan stubbed out his cigarette and ordered another two pint.

"I'm a tough guy, I can take it," he answered, "If worse comes to worst, I'll knock you out and take you home," he joked.

"Thanks," she snarked sarcastically, "That's what I call a real friend."

"Oi, that's what mates are for!" Dan protested and went on to explain. "Only a real friend would knock you out and then drag your drunk arse all the way home to crash on your couch."

"Of course," Chloe rolled her eyes, sending the room spinning for a moment, "How could I not know that."

Dan nodded then shook his head. "Stop stalling, Charlie. Just spill already."

Chloe sighed, took a long drink from her new Guinness, fiddled with Dan's cigarette box then took one of the slim tubes out and lit it. She coughed violently at the first drag, but after the second it got better. Looking back up, she squarely met Dan's gaze. As she saw his open, trusting expression and the sincere concern in those brown eyes, she made her decision.

"First of all," she started, "Call me Chloe, because that's my name." Charlize Lance was a persona. It helped get her through the day, but at night, in her bed, it was Chloe Luthor-Sullivan that curled up under the blankets and fell asleep feeling empty.

Lex was furious, livid, one step short of completely exploding. He should have known. He'd been looking for his wife all over the damn planet and meanwhile, she'd been right under his nose. How she managed to stay hidden for almost a year like this was beyond him though.

Banging his fist on the non-descript apartment door, he yelled at the top of his lungs.

"Open the damn door, right now!"

It was seven in the evening, someone had to be home. After he'd traced the email, which had taken longer than he'd expected, he'd stormed out of the penthouse and made his way straight here at break neck speed.

He pounded on the wood again, sending it shaking in the frame. "Don't fuck with me, Lois! I know you're home and I know she's here. Open the fucking door!"

Lex had never liked his wife's cousin. She was a vitriol spitting viper that liked nothing more than to find dirt on every businessman he'd ever dealt with. She never went as far as going against him openly, but she made damn sure that everyone got the insinuations.

The door finally opened, only far enough to jerk against the chain holding it in place. Lois' face appeared in the thin crack, cold blue eyes flashing steel at him.

"What do you want, Luthor," she spat.

"You know damn well what I want, Lane," he gritted through his teeth. "I want my wife! Now open that damn door and let me in!"

Lois snorted and took a step back from the door shaking her head. "She's not here, and even if she was, I wouldn't let you in while you're acting like this," she stated coldly.

Lex uttered a low growl. His patience had run out before he'd even gotten to the apartment complex. "Open the door, or I swear, I will break it down."

She barked out a laugh at that, shaking her head. "I'd like to see you tr…"

The sentence turned into a yell as the door gave way under the assault of Lex's kick, the catch that kept the chain in place breaking under the impact.

"Are you insane?!" Lois yelled even as Lex stalked inside the apartment, his gaze taking in every part of the room. It was devoid of any indication that Chloe had ever been there.

Lex swirled around and grabbed Lois by the shoulders. She immediately started struggling against his grip.

"Where is she," he demanded harshly, tightening his grip on Lois' shoulders. "Where the fuck is she?!"

Lois had had enough. Her eyes flashed furiously, promising painful vengeance and she delivered a hard kick to his shin. At the same time, she sent her forehead butting straight onto Lex's nose. While he was momentarily stunned, she reeled around in his grip, taking hold of his arm and throwing him over her hip to the ground.

Lex hit the floor with a grunt, his face flaring with pain as he tried to struggle back up into a sitting position. Lois was unexpectedly strong as she pinned his legs to the ground and brought her forearm down across his throat, pinning him in place with enough pressure to cut off his air supply.

"Now you listen to me, Luthor and listen closely," she snarled.

Their faces where so close Lex could feel her hot breath against the sensitive skin of his nose. He tried to struggle once more, but Lois only pinned him down harder.

"I'll only tell you this once," she continued, her eyes spitting cold fire at him. "Chloe left you, because you were a complete and utter asshole. She left because you wouldn't listen to her when she _tried_to salvage things. It is your fault that she left and she won't be coming back."

Lex stoically glared back at her, not caring about her damn attitude or the things she said. All he wanted to know was where he would find his wife.

"Where is she?" he wheezed out through the pressure on his larynx.

"I told you, I don't know where she is. But I do know that she doesn't want to be found by you."

He struggled against her hold once more. His strength was waning with every moment she continued to cut short his air supply.

"Let me go," he rasped.

"No," she answered coldly, "I'm not done with you. "

She shifted her hold on his legs slightly, still keeping the arm across his throat. "You're an asshole, Luthor, and far from a good man. The only thing you had going for you, that kept me from ripping you to pieces in the public arena was my cousin."

He glared back silently, challenging her with a look to continue this moral diatribe.

"She loved you, you bastard! Chloe loved you and gave everything she could to make this marriage work and keep you on the straight and narrow. But you threw it all back in her face!"

His gaze turned away, fixing on anything other than Lois' face. He didn't care to hear that.

"Fucking look at me!" She yelled the words in his face, pressing harder on his throat. His eyes snapped back to her furious ones.

"She loved you and now she's blaming herself for not being able to save you," she shouted viciously then lowered her voice to a dangerous, calm tone, "But you and I, we know better than that, don't we, Lex?"

She released the pressure just enough to keep him from passing out. Lex wasn't sure he could have struggled if he wanted to and Lois' words were penetrating a part of him he thought long buried.

"You failed her, Lex. You failed as a husband and you failed as her friend," she stated coldly. "You are the reason she left everything behind and ran away. You drove her to do something Chloe Sullivan would never have done. You made her give up."

With that, she gave one last hard shove to his throat before releasing him from her hold and retreating halfway across the room.

"Now get your filthy ass up off my floor and get the fuck out of here," she commanded.

Lex coughed harshly as he sat up, struggling to regain his equilibrium. He could feel blood trickling from his nose that still flared with pain and his shin was throbbing dully. Worst of all though were Lois' words that reverberated through his mind as he stood facing her.

He took a harsh, shuddering breath through his mouth, preparing to say something, but he never got the chance.

"Get out," she repeated pointing to the open apartment door. The chain was dangling uselessly on its edge. "And don't ever show your fucking face here again."

His face hurt too much to sneer and his body wasn't in any shape for another round at the moment, so Lex did the only thing he could do. He left the apartment in silence, planning to get his people on Lois' tail.

The apartment door closed with a bang behind him and he actually winced when the jarring sound shot another flash of pain through his nose. That damn viper might not want to tell him where his wife was, but she would lead him to her anyway. Lex was sure of that.


	13. Wreck of the Day

This update is, I have to admit, entirely thanks to Somethingeasy's feedback. Her questioning of Chloe's motives somehow jumpstarted my muse into writing an entire chapter within a few hours.

So without further ado...

**Chapter 13 ~ Wreck of the Day**

Chloe was back in her apartment, squished comfortably into the corner of her couch with her feet tucked under Dan's thigh. She looked at his profile as he stared contemplatively at his bottle of beer.

She'd told him the whole story, no holds barred and he'd listened without interrupting or judging. His face had gone through about a thousand different expressions though as her story unfurled.

Initially she had only wanted to tell him the story how she'd come to be in London, but then somehow the words had come out differently and she'd told him the whole story of her and Lex Luthor. How they'd fallen in love despite the worst of circumstances. How they'd made it through what she had thought were the most difficult years. And how, in the end, she had failed her husband when things hadn't turned out as easy as they should have been after Lionel's death. How he'd slowly ceased to be Lex and came to be Alexander 'the Great' instead. There was no need to say anything about the divorce filing. It had been all over the papers.

When she'd started sniffling, Dan had wordlessly paid their bill, grabbed their coats and taken her home. Which was why they were sitting on her couch now at almost one in the morning.

Dan didn't lift his gaze from the bottle as he finally spoke. "You sure know how to render a bloke dumbstruck."

Chloe leaned forward to wrap her arms around her knees, wiggling her toes under his leg. Their position brought up memories of better days. Days that seemed a hundred years away.

"Sorry," she said in a low voice.

"Oy, no, I'm being a prick. 's not your fault that things around you turned out shite, is it?" His free hand was on her shoulder, rubbing comfortingly.

She smiled weakly back at him. Dan's accent always came out stronger when he was reacting on gut level. She knew he really hadn't meant to put blame on her.

"I'm just, blown by the fact that I've been friends with Lex Luthor's missing wife and didn't even know it. Some reporter I am, ey?"

Chloe shook her head, understanding what Dan was trying to do. "I didn't exactly run around passing out clues, so don't feel too bad."

"Well, at least now I know what's behind that weird bald-phobia you had going for the first two months or so."

She managed to force a chuckle, but inside, she didn't feel like laughing. She felt like hiding in a dark hole and never coming out again.

"You still miss him?" Dan's voice was so full of sympathy as he asked the question that it broke something inside her.

The tears she had refused to shed before started to flow freely as she buried her head in her knees and she only felt it when Dan pulled her feet out from under his leg and lifted her into his lap.

She sobbed into his chest like a child as he held her and rubbed her back. And the tears just kept coming. It was all too much and too little and it all just came out.

Dan waited silently, rocking her through her break down, listening to her semi-coherent ramblings.

"H-he filed divorce," she hiccupped through her sobs. "And he promised!" she shouted, "He promised forever a-and-" She choked on her own words and they came out broken and all wrong. "Now he's filing for divorce!"

She was so angry and so hurt and it felt like everything was breaking apart. "And I ju-just wanted him to _see_!"

She was wailing like a banshee, still sobbing into Dan's shirt, only dimly registering the hushing and clucking noises he made to calm her down.

"He was supposed to see," she whimpered in a low voice. "S'posed to _understand_ what he did."

Vague images and ideas were floating through her mind, making no sense in her head as she tried to explain herself. "I thought he loved me."

Dan's arm tightened as he rocked her. "He'd be a bloody fool not to," he said in a hard voice. "A right bloody fool."

The tears finally slowed down, but the hiccups were still there. "H-he filed divorce," she repeated miserably. Her voice was as small as she felt, sitting in Dan's lap. "And I let him."

She could feel Dan shifting under her and a finger was placed under her chin. "Oy, what do you mean you let him, from what I'm hearing, it sure doesn't sound like you…"

Chloe cut him off, shaking her head violently. "I wrote him an e-mail," she sniffed and wiped her face, trying to get at least some of her composure back. "Told him to fucking go through with it and that I didn't care."

Dan shook his head and she nodded. "I was so angry, I just," she shrugged, "Reacted."

He frowned down at her for a moment as she wiped her face again. "You don't actually want this divorce to happen, do you?"

Chloe shook her head. She was slowly calming down. The crying fit had really helped to get things out of her system, at least for a little while. She was just sorry that Dan had been there to take the brunt of it. "Sorry," she muttered as she looked at his ruined shirt.

The ridiculous thought that it should have been Clark instead ran through her head. Back when her problems had been meteor freaks and later college finals it had always been Clark Kent she'd run to. Then again, at least Dan didn't run off at the worst possible moment, like Clark used to.

"Hey, that's what I'm here for, remember?"

Chloe smiled a little as she replied, "Yea, and dumping my drunk ass on your couch when I can't drive home myself."

"Exactly."

She leaned against Dan's shoulder, enjoying the calming touch as he kept running his hand over her back.

"The man's mad if he really wants to go through with this," he said over her head. "I figure he should get a bloody kick in the head to set him straight. 'Far as I reckon, he should be crawling here on his hands and knees and hope you don't use the opportunity to kick his arse while he tries to apologize."

Chloe couldn't help but laugh at the mental image. "And that from a guy. I'm surprised at your insight."

Dan shrugged, "Watched my sister go through a divorce. The blasted bastard cheated on her and had the guts to say it was her fault. Puts things into perspective."

"Yeah, I guess it does." She closed her eyes and exhaled a sigh. "Alexander would never cheat on me." Chloe was surprised that after everything, she could still say that with conviction. She'd also forgotten to clear up the fact that the divorce was in fact a sham where Alexander was concerned. She might just have turned it into reality with her reaction, though. And that thought scared her.

The phone rang and made her head jerk up from Dan's shoulder. "Can you get that?" she asked, not willing to move from her position.

"Hold on," Dan picked up the phone and pushed the call button. "Lance residence," he answered, "Simmons speaking."

Chloe looked up from her perch on his shoulder and noticed his shift in expression as he listened to the other end. "No, don't hang up, you got the right number." Then he held the phone out to her. "Your cousin."

She plucked the phone from his hand and put it against her ear. "Hey, Lo."

"Don't 'Hey, Lo' me, _Charlize_," Lois stressed the fake name, sounding a little annoyed. "And who's the Brit answering your phone? Did you get a butler?"

Chloe smirked up at Dan, trying to imagine him as a butler. "No, he's a friend. Brought me home tonight. He knows."

She hated herself for having to sniffle. Her nose was still not all cleared up from her earlier crying fit. Lois immediately noticed.

"What's wrong? You were crying, weren't you? Jeez, Chloe, don't you think it'd be better if you came home if you're that much of a mess?"

Chloe shook her head before answering. "I'm alright, it just all caught up to me, I guess. I had a little breakdown," she confessed.

Lois snorted as she looked at the spot on her living room carpet where a visible stain still remained. "Yea, you're not the only one. But I doubt yours ended up quite that violent."

Chloe was immediately alert. "What happened?"

"Well, your husband showed up at my apartment about an hour ago after I sent him your e-mail."

She hissed in a sharp breath as the words came over the receiver. She'd known that Alexander would react, she just hadn't really thought through what his reaction might be in regards to Lois.

"What happened?" she repeated more anxiously.

"He banged on my door like a fucking lunatic, demanding to be let in. I let him in and he started on his little rant, thinking you were actually with me in the apartment."

Chloe could hear in Lois' condescending voice what she thought of Alexander's assumptions. She was too worried though that someone had gotten hurt. That her husband had been so out of control that he'd forgotten himself.

"Did either of you get hurt? Are you alright?"

Lois chuckled darkly and Chloe knew it had come to blows.

"I kicked his ass, possibly broke his nose and then gave him the what for," her cousin confirmed. "He was acting like a raving lunatic, trying to get at you and wouldn't listen until I had him pinned to the floor with a bleeding nose."

Chloe's eyes closed as she fought down the instinctive urge to make sure Lex was alright. She was an ocean away and the point of the whole separation was to get him to realize that he was acting wrong and ruining their relationship. She couldn't throw everything to the wind and rush back to Metropolis because her husband had gotten his nose broken by her cousin.

"What did you say to him?" she asked in a shaky voice.

"I told him the truth. That it's his fault you're gone. And that he's failed at being your husband and your friend."

Chloe nodded to her cousin's words as a few more silent tears fell from her closed eyes.

"And then I threw him out on his ass," Lois continued. "He deserved to hear that, Chloe. You couldn't tell him, but I fucking well could. And he needed to hear that."

Chloe nodded again, leaning farther into Dan who had remained silent, but was apparently listening to what he could pick up from the conversation avidly.

"Did he say anything?" She didn't even know why she asked. It shouldn't matter this much, but it did.

"Besides screaming for you and screaming at me to make you pop out of thin air? No."

Chloe shook her head and tried to wrap her brain around the things that Lois was telling her.

"He's going insane, Chloe," Lois said with a sigh. "And I mean _really_, seriously insane."

It sounded like Lois was starting to have doubts and that wasn't good; because it made it harder for Chloe to stand her ground. She was already feeling torn about everything and if there was one thing she couldn't stop, it was her feelings for her husband; or the instinctive need to fix the things in him that others had broken. Only this time, she'd been the one to break things. She swallowed heavily. She hadn't meant to drive him into madness. All she'd wanted was to open his eyes to the fact that he was heading down the wrong path and that it would cost both of them their marriage and their happiness.

Lois spoke up again, pulling her out of her thoughts. "You know, not that I'll ever forgive him, or that I care what happens to his sorry ass, but…" She paused for a moment. "Maybe if you…"

"No!" Chloe interrupted her cousin before she could finish that sentence. She needed to be strong. She couldn't come back now or Alexander would never learn that there were consequences to his actions. "I can't. Not yet."

She needed to figure out a way to make him understand. Leaving him might have been the wrong way to go about it. But going back now without seeing things through wouldn't make things right, either.

"Just think about it," Lois insisted, as always pushing that little extra step further.

"I've gotta go, Lois," Chloe said tiredly.

"Okay, I'll call you again. And don't worry about it Kenny's got us covered."

"Kay," she answered morosely. "Bye, Lois." She hung up after Lois returned the goodbye.

"My husband went berserk today, and my cousin kicked his ass for it, reamed him a new one and then threw him out of her apartment," she summed up the entire conversation as Dan put the phone back into the station.

"Well," he said as he turned back to her and started rubbing her back again. "I dunno if it's a good sign, but now you know he's takin' the divorce business as hard as you do. Or do you reckon he's trying to find you just so you can sign the papers?"

Chloe shook her head. "That would make no sense. Technically, I've been missing for almost eight months already. If he'd said anything about that officially, he wouldn't have to wait much longer for the divorce to go through without my signing anything."

Dan nodded. "So he's just looking to find you. Full stop."

She looked up at him, surprised by the simple logic that finally penetrated her mind. "Yeah. I know."

Dan tightened his hold as he leaned forward to grab his abandoned beer bottle. "They way I see it," he mused as he looked at the label. "This whole divorce thing looks like a total scam."

Chloe wanted to kick herself for not letting Dan in on that part earlier. "It is actually," she admitted. "He's trying to get me back by threatening to leave me."

"Bugger all, that's the most fucked up thing I ever heard."

She couldn't help but laugh bitterly. "Yea, it's fucked up, I know. But that's Alexander. He thought that if he threatened with divorce, I'd see how wrong I was and come running back to him."

And the worst thing was that a part of her wanted to go for it. Wanted desperately to go home and fall back into his arms and try to find another way to make him understand that he was the one destroying their relationship. But she honestly couldn't see another way than the one she'd chosen.

Chloe had tried talking reason, she had tried pleading, she had tried shouting, she had even cried. Nothing had moved Alexander into seeing what he was doing. This had been the first time he'd even noticed that something wasn't right. He simply had to see, to understand, that she didn't leave him without reason. And that it was he who had to change before she could come back.

She only hoped he'd understand soon. She wanted to go home. She wanted to go home to the man she'd married and have the happily ever after she'd been promised at her wedding. And she knew that they could have that. If only Lex would wake up and finally see that his actions were the only thing standing in the way of that.


	14. Broken

**Chapter 14 ~ Broken**

The crystal glass landed with a resounding crash in the fireplace, causing the flames to flare up for a moment before they calmed down again.

Lex stared at the fire, too drunk to see more than bright orange light. He didn't even feel the warmth it was supposed to generate. He felt chilled down to his bones.

As he touched his broken nose, he realized that at least he didn't feel the stinging pain anymore that had driven him mad for the first hour after his visit to Lois. It was merely a dull throb now, reminding him that he'd gotten his ass thoroughly kicked by a woman half his size.

Her words hadn't been drowned out by the alcohol, though.

Lex fell forward on the couch and pressed the heels of his hands into his eye sockets, barely feeling the pressure. Lois' damn words still reverberated through his skull and he was unable to stop them, unable to shut his ears to the venomous voice, unable to do anything to shut her out or ignore the truth behind the cutting statements.

_"She's blaming herself for not being able to save you!"_

Lex shook his head, trying to force himself into believing that it was her fault. She had left. She had walked out on him. She had…

_"But you and I, we know better than that, don't we, Lex?"_

But she should have stayed. She had no right to leave him. She was wrong for disappearing. If she had given him warning. She …

_"…gave everything she could to make this marriage work! You threw it all back in her face!"_

Lex tore up from his place on the couch and started pacing, shaking his head, denying the words that drove him to the bar for yet another drink. It was her fault. She shouldn't have left. She did what everybody else did. She wasn't any better than the rest of them.

_"But you and I, we know better than that, don't we, Lex?"_

His hands shook and spilled scotch more beside the glass than actually into it.

_"She left because you wouldn't listen to her when she tried to salvage things."_

Lex forgot about the glass and lifted the bottle straight to his mouth, taking heavy gulps as he tried to drown out the words that kept on coming.

_"It is your fault that she left and she won't be coming back."_

He screamed in furious denial and threw the bottle away from him, uncaring where it fell.

She had to come back, she couldn't stay away. He'd make her come back. She had to, he couldn't fucking live without her. She'd made a mistake. She'd realize that. She would come back. She had to come back.

_"But you and I, we know better than that, don't we, Lex?"_

Lex wiped his face furiously, staring blindly into nothing as the venom kept searing through his brain.

_"You failed her, Lex."_

"No."

_"You failed as a husband and you failed as her friend."_

"No!" His voice got louder as he refuted the words. His hand came away smeared with blood and tears.

_"You made her give up."_

"No! Shut up! Shut the fuck up! God damnit. SHUT UP!"

He lashed out and sent the rest of the bottles crashing to the floor. He upended the bar and whipped around, aimlessly searching for something he could destroy. If he could just make enough noise, it had to drown out the voice in his head. It had to silence the goddamn words that drove him insane.

Books and papers went flying, wood splintered, pages and fabrics tore alike as he worked his way through the room, destroying everything in his wake. Blind, mindless, furious beyond words. Helpless, powerless, and so goddamn cold. He threw everything that was small enough into the fireplace, the flames nothing but an orange haze to his eyes.

His legs gave out under him, sending him to his knees in front of the fireplace.

"She will come back! She's mine! I'll find her! She'll come back."

His breaths came hard and broken out of his mouth. His nose was clogged up with blood and snot and tears and he was shaking. He was so cold. So goddamn cold. His hand reached out towards the fire. She'd always been so warm. Why couldn't he feel the warmth anymore?

"She will come back," he whispered again, holding his hand against the flames and finally feeling some of the warmth as they got near enough to burn. "She has to."

_"But you and I, we know better than that, don't we, Lex?"_

With a broken sound, Lex collapsed to the side. His body had finally decided it was enough and shut him down. His nose was still bleeding profusely and his palm was covered in growing blisters. He wasn't aware of any of it as he tossed and turned fitfully, unconscious on the floor.

When he woke up, the first thing he was aware of was the pain radiating from his nose. The second thing was the burning blisters on his hand that made him cry out hoarsely when he touched his face. The third thing he noticed was a pounding headache that throbbed in consonance with the aches in his nose and hand.

Lex slowly cracked his eyes open and became aware of the mess he had created the night before. As he rolled over onto his stomach, he cried out again as sharp glass splinters dug into the skin of his arm.

He coughed and spit out blood as he painfully pulled himself to his knees, cradling his injured hand to his chest. His gaze rose up to meet the frozen stare of a maid. 'Penelope,' he thought.

She looked at him and didn't make a single move; probably afraid of his reaction now that he'd seen her standing there.

Lex wanted to yell at her to get the hell out, but all that came out was a painful groan when his headache flared and he almost toppled over.

Suddenly, he felt surprisingly strong hands holding on to his shoulders, keeping him upright.

"¡Hombres!, de verdad, no sirven para nada. ¡Mira lo que ha hecho!. Y todo por una mujer, por amor, porque no son capaces de decir 'Lo siento, soy un guevón, perdóname'. Y yo, ¿qué hago? Siento pena por el diablo, le ayudo y limpio su desorden"

Her voice was a low rapid mumble next to his ear as she helped him get up and transferred him to the couch.

"I do speak Spanish, Penelope."

Instead of answering, she harrumphed and left him on the couch then came back a few moments later with a cold wet wash cloth.

Lex was too dumbfounded and by far too drained to even protest as she started to gently wipe his face.

"My nana used to say that it's not men's fault they are how they are."

Her accent was clearly audible as she spoke in a low voice, lisping the 's' and rolling the 'r' in that peculiar way that some Hispanics did. The melody of her intonation made the words sound even softer.

"She said that we have to take care of them because they can't take care of themselves."

Lex's gaze narrowed on her as she dabbed at his face, folding the cloth when it came away red and grimy, before she brought it back to his cheek.

"I never used to think she was right."

His hand lashed out to grab her wrist tightly. But the next moment he shouted out in pain as the blisters on his palm were aggravated by the touch. Penelope looked at him calmly as she plucked his clawed hand from her wrist and laid it down on his knee, palm facing up.

"I will get some salve for this, it needs to be wrapped."

Lex hissed in a breath and tried to will the pain to go away. "Why don't you get out and do what I pay you for. Go clean up somewhere else."

Penelope shook her head as she stood up. "I'm sorry, Mr. Luthor. I always will listen to my nana over everyone else."

He stared after her dumbfounded as she disappeared through the door again.

Lex wanted to get up. He needed to do something, set the things in motion that he'd neglected to do because of his breakdown the night before. He needed to get people to follow Lois Lane and figure out if she really didn't know where his wife was. He needed to have her phone line tapped as soon as possible so he would know when she called her.

Penelope reappeared with gauze bandages and salve and he was still sitting on the couch. His headache had gotten worse as he tried to put together a battle plan.

She didn't speak as she picked up his hand, applied the salve and bandaged it up. Lex was grateful for the silence because he was sure that his head just might explode at the tiniest sound. When she was done, she reached into the pocket of her apron and handed him two pills.

He watched her silently leave and close the door behind her. Once he was alone, he swallowed the painkillers dry and waited for them to kick in before he did anything else.

Looking around himself, he saw for the first time with a clear eye the damage he had caused the night before. Not even the couch he sat on had been spared from his rampage, tears in the leather revealing the stuffing inside.

He'd lost it completely, because of a mad tirade from a woman who didn't even know him. Except that Lois Lane had known very well what she was talking about. She hadn't pulled any punches either.

Lex brought his uninjured hand up to tenderly touch his nose. It was still throbbing dully in time with his pulse and he had a feeling he didn't want to see what it looked like.

He shook his head at the idiocy of Penelope's words.

If women were supposed to take care of men, then they did a lousy job where he was concerned. He'd gotten his heart broken by the woman he loved and his nose smashed by a woman he hated. As little as he knew about taking care of others, this was not part of the description in his book.

Something inside refused to let it rest at that cynical thought, though.

She had taken care of him, for years, if he was honest with himself. She had helped him through the worst times before his father's death and stood at his side, supporting him in any way she could. She'd borne his tantrums and picked up the pieces that other people left in their wake.

He bit his bottom lip as he stared down at his bandaged hand. She would have done that for him, too. She would have been irritated as hell and taken a strip out of him for getting himself into that state in the first place, but she would have bandaged him up, too. She would have crawled up onto the torn couch beside him and wrapped her arms around his shoulders, ignoring any token protest he might have put up. She would have been so warm, taking away that damn chill that refused to leave his body.

"You have to come back," he murmured into the empty destruction. "What do I have to do to make you come back?"

***Translation of Penelope's Rant:** "Men! Really, they're good for nothing! Look what he's done! And all for a woman, for love, and all because they're not capable of saying 'I'm sorry, I'm a fool, forgive me'. And me, what do I do? I feel sympathy for the devil, help him and clean up after his mess.'


	15. You're Unbelievable

**Chapter 15 ~ You're Unbelievable**

Chloe dragged herself out of bed and went through her morning routine in a lethargic state. She tried not to think, not to remember, not to do anything except make the necessary motions to get ready for work.

Her mind was an empty fog as she got into her car and drove to the newspaper offices. She was so focused on not focusing that she almost rammed headlong into oncoming traffic when her car had veered onto the right side of the street.

The violent blaring of horns made her jerk the car back into the left lane, heart beating frantically in her chest as she concentrated on the road in front of her. She'd almost just killed herself. She could have died in a fucking car accident that she had caused because she couldn't think straight or concentrate. And all because of the events of the previous night.

Her long talk with Dan had brought everything back to the surface that she'd tried so hard to push away and even after her friend had left; she'd been incapable of letting it go. Lois' call hadn't helped at all, the worry gnawing at her that Lex might have been seriously injured. He wouldn't take care of himself, she just knew it.

The blaring of another horn alerted her to the fact that the traffic light she'd stopped at had turned from red to green. Fuck! Once she was at the offices, she'd leave her car there for the rest of the day. She didn't trust herself behind the wheel anymore. The 'tube' would have to do to take her home at the end of the day.

Her hands were shaking as she pulled into the parking spot and finally killed the engine.

Chloe stared at herself in the rearview mirror, trying to recognize the person that stared back. She looked like hell and there was no way to hide it. The dark circles were visible under her eyes, despite a thorough layer of make up and concealer. Her mouth and eyes were so tight that she could clearly see the small lines that age and too much worry had left. For a woman in her mid thirties, she looked like she was approaching fifty fast.

Shaking her head at her morose thoughts, she grabbed her purse and got out of the car, prepared to face another day at the office.

Dan was fussing over her and it was driving her crazy. From the moment she'd stepped into the 'bull pen' he'd been hovering nearby, asking her if she needed anything, providing coffee, chewing gum, pens, paper, and everything else before she could even reach for it herself.

She was going to kill him if he didn't stop soon.

"Dan, seriously, I'm okay! Will you back off already?"

The blond just shrugged a shoulder and settled down on the edge of her desk, looking at her with serious brown eyes. "You're not 'okay'. You look like hell and I'd bet my arse you haven't slept a wink all night after I left."

Chloe blew a strand of hair out of her face and threw her pen onto the desk. "Your hovering doesn't make me feel any better. Why can't you just go chase some skirt?"

"Because you're the only skirt that matters to me?" he drawled the rhetorical question with a leering grin and a wink.

That was enough. She picked up the nearest folder and started swatting him with it. "Go. Away. So I. Can do. My work!" Her words were emphasized with the 'thwap' 'thwap' 'thwap' of the brown paperback hitting his arm. With a last mighty 'thwap' to his side she dropped the folder back onto the desk.

"Now that you got that out of your system," Dan said as he pretended to brush imaginary dirt off his sleeve, "Why don't we take a break and go for some coffee? My treat."

With a groan, Chloe closed her eyes in resignation. "Only if that offer includes scones. I haven't had breakfast."

"I bloody well knew it!" Dan jumped from the desk and grabbed her coat before she could change her mind. "Let's go."

Fifteen minutes later found them sitting in a small café not too far from their office. Dan lit up his second cigarette as he watched Chloe scarf down the scones they'd ordered.

There weren't many people besides them, only a few who looked like frequents to the comfortable little place. Chloe enjoyed the relative quiet that was only broken by the low humdrum of people talking and BBC running with low volume on the TV above the counter.

"You know, last night, I was thinking," Dan started as he blew some smoke away from Chloe's direction.

"Uh oh, how long did it take for the firemen to show up?"

"Hah, bloody, hah." Dan scoffed and kicked the side of her shoe under the table. "Seriously though, after everything you told me, and from what I've heard of your husband…"

She noticed that he avoided the use of Alexander's name. Something she was grateful for.

"I'm surprised he didn't find you yet."

Chloe stared at Dan for a second, wondering what made him bring this up. She'd thought he wanted to take her mind off those thoughts, not make it the topic of conversation.

"I'm good at covering my trails," she answered guardedly.

"But do you reckon changing your name and dying your hair is really going to be enough to keep him off your back?"

She self-consciously touched her hair, combing her fingers through the long dark tresses. It had been one of the first things to do after getting settled in London. Before she'd gone out to get a job, she'd dyed her hair the same color that the wig on her new passport had been. A dark brown that made her face look paler and thinner, not to mention quite a few years older.

"It worked so far, didn't it?" She frowned as she realized something. "And how do you know that this is not my real hair color?"

Dan grinned mischievously, shrugging his left shoulder. "Did a bit of research on the internet. I think the blonde looked better on you."

Chloe rolled her eyes. 'Of course he'd think that. His favorite type of woman was a Swedish bikini model.'

Silence fell between them as Chloe munched on her scone and Dan finished his cigarette.

As she lifted her cup of coffee to her mouth, Chloe noticed that the rest of the patrons had suddenly fallen silent. Looking around, she saw that all of them had fixed their attention on the TV above the counter.

Her brows drew together as her gaze went up to the screen. The cup almost fell from her hands as she saw what everyone else was looking at. She barely noticed the hand of the barista reaching up to turn up the volume.

'…news that Lex Luthor has called in a press conference, regarding his recent filing for divorce and his missing wife Chloe Luthor-Sullivan. We're turning to Joan Stapling, live from the MetropolisPlaza.'

Chloe's mind reeled as she stared at the woman in her loud orange business suit and tried to comprehend the words spoken. She was still not hearing more than the rush of blood in her own ears as the picture switched to a record of the press conference that had obviously gone over before.

Lex stepped up in front of the press behind a podium and her first thought was 'He looks like shit!' Her gaze flew over everything she could see of him behind the stand and immediately noticed the large circles under his eyes, the slightly swollen looking nose, and the dry, cracked lips. There was a bandage covering his left hand and he kept it completely motionless on the small desktop as he spoke.

_"A few days ago, I made the announcement that I was filing for divorce from my wife. The decision was a rash one, incomprehensible even to myself as I look back on it now."_

Chloe blinked. She felt Dan's hand cover her own on the table, but she couldn't look away from the TV. She couldn't tear her gaze away from her husband as he stood behind a small stand, admitting a mistake in front of an audience of press and people all around the globe.

"_My wife left me almost eight months ago. The reasons for her leaving are still a mystery to me, but I have been trying to find her ever since, to convince her to come home. I have called on professional help and family members alike, but no one has been able to find any information on her current whereabouts."_

He looked proud and strong as he spoke, resolute even as he admitted defeat. Chloe's eyes flicked back and forth over the screen, soaking up every detail she could as she listened to her husband's words. 'What the hell does he want now? Why is he doing this?'

Alexander had always been adamant about keeping their private life just that to the best of his ability. Nothing that wasn't cleared with him several times over was relinquished for publishing and aside from the Planet, pretty much every newspaper in Metropolis had the 'Luthor' stamp on it, if not in a legal way, then in which ever way worked.

For him to come out in front of the press like this was unbelievable. She couldn't reconcile it with the man Lex had become over the years. It was rash, emotional, reckless. Chloe felt a tear slide down her cheek as she looked at the stoic face of her husband. It was Lex without the Luthor mantle weighing him down and dictating his actions.

_"That is the reason why I am standing before you today. I am here to ask for your help."_

A murmur ran through the ranks of the press and Chloe's heart stopped beating for a moment as her fingers tightened their hold on Dan's hand.

_"I am offering a generous reward to anyone who can bring me solid information on my wife's current residence. I am willing to pay any price that is demanded to the person who is able to find her and show me evidence of her whereabouts."_

Chloe watched aghast as Lex nodded directly into the camera and stepped off the podium, ignoring the shouted questions of the press and leaving the room flanked by security detail. The scene cut back to the reporter in the garish orange suit and Chloe turned slowly in her seat to face Dan.

She felt like she couldn't breathe properly. Her husband had just put a price on her head. But not just _a_ price, no, he was willing to pay _any_ price demanded to the person who found her. She felt hunted, paranoia rapidly setting in as she wondered how long it would take for somebody to recognize her and bring the news straight back to Alexander.

Dan's smirk was shaky as he looked back at her. She barely felt the thumb brushing over the back of her hand.

"Hate to say, I told you so."


	16. Kryptonite

**Chapter 16 ~ Kryptonite**

He stood on his balcony, facing the dwindling rays of the sun that disappeared behind the skyscrapers of the city. The smog hanging in the air made the colors all the more vibrant, but that didn't take away much from the stench that hovered even this high up. He couldn't remember the last time he'd breathed fresh air.

'Long ago, in a town not too far away, where the cows say goodnight to the crows.'

Lex shook his head, trying to dispel thoughts of the past. He had to stay alert in the presence so he wouldn't miss 'The Call'.

Three weeks had gone by since the broadcast of his offer. Lex still didn't know what had made him stand up behind a podium and offer to pay any price to whichever person was able to find his missing wife.

The past three weeks had been filled with an endless number of calls, e-mails, faxes and letters. None of them had held any viable information on her whereabouts. People had contacted him from all over the world; from Russia to New Zealand to Alaska back to England, France, Italy, and Spain. He'd gotten e-mails from Africa, calls from India and faxes from Germany, Austria and Switzerland. There was a discarded map on a board somewhere in one of the offices he had working on this. Hardly any point on the map was untouched by brightly colored pins.

Lex inhaled the putrid air of Metropolis in high summer and idly contemplated jumping off the balcony. If his hopes were stirred one more time, only to be dashed again when the information turned out to be false, he just might.

After that one e-mail she'd sent, Chloe had never contacted him again. Lois Lane, bitch that she was, refused to see him and there had been nothing to find when he'd let someone hack into her computer. Her phone line had been tapped, only to find out that she actually owned a fucking scrambler as of three months ago. To top it all off, none of her connection records showed any numbers that couldn't be traced to some person or other of little to no importance. No evidence that she'd ever been in contact with his wife.

There was nothing more he could do.

There were no options left.

He was only human, after all.

'Only human…'

Closing his eyes, not believing what he was about to do, Lex stepped further out onto the balcony.

"Clark?" He spoke the name for the first time in years and hated himself for the hesitancy in his voice. Taking a deep breath, he tried again.

"Clark!"

He was not wrong in this. He knew what he was doing. But there was no sign forthcoming that he'd been heard. The sky stayed empty as far as he could look.

Heaving a put upon sigh, Lex rolled his eyes heavenward and uttered the next word in complete annoyance and exasperation.

"Superman," he drawled the ridiculous moniker that Lois Lane, of all people, had tagged onto the farmboy that had grown up to be a hero.

A few moments later a streak of red and blue came flashing towards him from the skies and Clark alighted on the balustrade of his balcony, red go-go boots, blanket cape and all.

"Luthor." Clark crossed his arms, keeping up the pretense, and stared at him. "What do you want?"

Lex looked back into the steel blue eyes, wondering how the color had changed, or if he was wearing laser proof contact lenses or something. Shoving that idle thought aside, he waved a hand towards the inside of the penthouse.

"I was hoping we could talk."

He had to suppress a laugh at the infinite wariness with which the supposed 'Man of Steel' stepped from the balustrade onto the balcony proper and walked towards him. The cape made absurd swishy noises as Clark moved past him and into the living room of the penthouse.

"Take a seat," Lex offered as he stepped towards the bar himself.

He needed a drink if he wanted to get through this. It wasn't every day he threw his pride over board and lowered himself to pleading with someone who used to be his friend. Well, if the blackmail didn't work, that was.

"Again, Luthor. What do you want?" The impatience was audible in 'Superman's' droning voice as Clark repeated his question. "I don't have time to play games."

"It's not a game, I assure you, Clark," Lex said calmly as he turned back to the other man and offered him a glass.

Clark took it and looked at him warily, then resignedly as he downed the entire glass without reaction to the burn of the scotch. "How did you know?"

Lex snorted. "Did you honestly expect me to forget everything that happened in Smallville and be blinded by bright colors and a pair of go-go boots?"

Clark smirked self-deprecatingly and shrugged his enormous shoulders. "I guess not."

He remained silent as he settled down across the other man and tried to reconcile the image of the super-strong, confident alien with the self-conscious, timid teenager he'd once known.

Clark returned his gaze and Lex wasn't sure for a moment he wanted to know what Clark saw in him these days as opposed to the man he had been at twenty-one.

Silence settled until Clark righted himself up in his seat and met Lex's gaze dead on, leaving no room for evasions.

"I'm here because of Chloe, aren't I?"

Lex conceded the point with a nod, not speaking any further. Now that he was confronted with Clark, after too many years, he had no clue how to ask this of him and get his way. They weren't friends anymore and Clark's integrity stemmed from a man that would never have bowed down to blackmail. He was well and truly fucked.

"Pretty impressive conference you gave. What was it you said: 'a rash and incomprehensible decision'?" Clark shook his head. "You've made a lot of those over the years, Lex."

"I didn't ask you here for moral judgment," Lex snapped, putting his glass aside as he leaned forward to face off with the enemy. "I asked because I know your integrity and heroic nature won't be able to turn away from a person in need of help."

Clark arched a brow at him and Lex wondered if he'd been wrong in his assessment. He remembered that the man had turned away from him once before, when he was still no more than a college kid that lived according to the rules of his father as much as Lex had been the dutiful heir of his own.

"Are you asking for my help then?"

The words fell between them like a challenge. Lex didn't back down.

"I want her back."

"What if she doesn't care to come back to you? You've not given her any reason to stay."

Lex's face turned sharply as he looked away from the accusing blue eyes, Lois' words, a mirror to Clark's, echoing through his mind. _"You are the reason she left everything behind and ran away."_

"I can't change anything about that if she won't give me the chance to do so."

"Do you even want to change?" Clark's voice wasn't merely accusing, he could hear the sincere curiosity in the acerbic statement.

"It's not that easy, since I don't have the first clue _what_ to change," he defended himself.

Clark snorted at him, rolled his eyes and shook his head. For a brief instant, the costume vanished and Lex saw a teenager in flannel and denim, looking down from the pedestal he wasn't even aware he was standing on; looking down at the man in his self-appointed gutter with sympathy and naïve optimism that it was only a matter of simple platitudes and good advice to help people be better than they were.

The blue gaze turned serious and the mirage of the past disappeared. "I suggest you look over your past actions and the way you've presented yourself over the last five years, give or take. If you can't see where you went wrong then," Clark shook his head. "You don't deserve to have her back."

Lex was out of his seat and in Clark's face before he even thought about moving. "And who the hell do you think you are to decide that?" His fist lashed out and was caught in a vice grip before it could connect with Clark's jaw.

"I'm her _friend_. But what matters more is that I am probably the only person who can find her and bring her back to you from wherever she is right now."

Lex swallowed hard as he glared back at the immovable object to his irresistible force.

He had no idea where he was supposed to start. Not the slightest clue what had gone wrong to drive her away. All he knew was that everyone else seemed to be convinced it was his fault. What was he supposed to do? Go through everything he'd said and done over the past five years and try to find whatever had caused her to place her wedding ring on his desk and leave with no more than a few perplexing words and a simple 'goodbye'? Where the hell was he supposed to start?

"If I were you, I'd start at the beginning."

Lex's head jerked back as he was pulled from his thoughts. "What, you can read minds now, too?"

There was an honest to god smirk on the face of the, oh so integer, alien hero. "No, but it's easy to know what you're thinking when one knows how to read the signs."

Lex scoffed and finally pulled his fist out of Clark's hold, putting a few feet of distance between them.

Clark shook his head and moved to the balcony again, obviously ready to leave.

He was ready to call out to stop the other man when Clark turned just enough to look over his shoulder.

"Think about who you were, who you are, and who you want to be. When you've got the answer, you know how to call me."

Lex followed Clark out onto the balcony, not satisfied to be brushed off like that. He opened his mouth again, but again he was cut off by the younger man.

"Oh, and if I were you, I'd stay away from Lois. She's mightily pissed off at you and plotting a way to break your nose. Again."

'Superman' launched off the balustrade and zipped off into the skies before Lex got another chance to speak.

Irritated with the insufferable attitude of the alien, Lex jammed his hands into his pockets and kicked at the dust under his feet.

"I know you can hear me, Clark. You can tell Lois that it was sheer dumb luck that she got the better of me that day."

Satisfied that he'd gotten his barb in, Lex turned around and went back into the penthouse.

He had a lot to think about.


	17. Hometown Hero

**Chapter 17 ~ Hometown Hero**

"I still can't believe he did that!"

"Yeah, I know, you said it often enough."

"How could he do that? What is he trying to accomplish with it? Does he think he can just come here and drag me back by my hair?"

"Chloe! Sweetie, it's been four weeks and no one has even approached you yet. I really don't think it's going to come to that."

"They showed my picture on CNN like I'm some runaway child! They…"

"…splattered it all over the news and put you on the front page of every newspaper in town. I know that, we've gone over this often enough."

Chloe stomped her foot and glared at the phone, in lieu of glaring at her cousin which was what she really wanted to do.

"How can you be so calm about this?" she asked irritated.

"Because it's not my ass he's after."

"Grrrr. Urgh!" Chloe stormed into the kitchen, intent on getting a drink. She needed one if she wanted to deal with this.

"Sweetie, I know it's bad, but seriously. What's it going to help if you keep ranting about it? Yes, there's a chance that somebody might find you now and bring the news back to Lex, but…" Lois trailed off and Chloe's brows rose.

"But, what?"

"Maybe that wouldn't be so bad?"

"ARE YOU FUCKING KIDDING?!"

Chloe slammed her glass down and stomped back into the living room. She needed to move because if she tried to stand still now, she'd explode on the spot. She couldn't believe that Lois had just said that.

"What happened to 'we'll make him rue the day he was born' huh? What happened to 'he deserved to get his ass kicked'? I can't believe you just…" Her free hand flapped impotently in the air as she tried to find the right words. "- said that!"

Lois heaved a sigh on the other end of the line and Chloe heard the flick of a lighter and the hissing sound of a cigarette being lit. A long and sturdy exhale of smoke later, Lois spoke again.

"Listen, you know I hate the bastard. I wasn't happy that you married him in the first place and I'll probably never be happy about it because he's proven himself to be an asshole, over and over again."

"He's not…" Chloe fought down the instinctive denial and took a deep breath. "He wasn't always like that."

"Uh huh, and _that_ right there is why I think you can't stay away forever."

"I can't come back, Lois. He's never gonna understand where he went wrong if I make it that easy. He'll just keep going like he did before and I couldn't take that. I can't live with that anymore. He's got to realize what he did wrong or we'll never have a chance."

"Chloe, sweetie, did you never notice that your husband can be incredibly stupid for a supposed genius? He's never going to figure it out, unless someone spells it out for him."

"I tried spelling it out for him, he wouldn't listen." Chloe's tone was morose again, the anger drained by the hopelessness of the situation.

"Well, he didn't listen then," Lois said slowly, "But that's because he didn't see the seriousness of the situation."

There was a pause and another long drag from the cigarette. "Shit, I can't believe that I'm fucking doing this. I should be telling you to stay where you are, wait for the divorce to go through, find a better guy and be fucking happy. In fact, I should go over there right now and kick his ass again for making you go through all this."

Chloe couldn't help but chuckle at the irritation in her cousin's voice. "You'd drive all the way to Smallville, just to kick his ass again?"

"He moved to the penthouse. It's really only a twenty minute drive."

"Oh."

"Yea, so, should I? I think I should. Or even better, I should get Superman to do it. Maybe being dropped from the roof of a skyscraper is going to make him see the light?"

Chloe bit her lip hard to keep from reacting to Lois' suggestion. She couldn't imagine that Alexander would give 'Superman' the chance to even come near the penthouse, let alone get close enough to drop him from the building. The two hadn't been on good terms since Clark went to college. She wouldn't be surprised to know that her husband had kept some kryptonite on retainer, just in case.

"I don't think that'd work, Lois."

She sunk into the cushions of her couch and stared at the blank TV. "And I don't want anyone to kick his ass, I just want him to realize why I left him and that things need to change, a lot, before I come back."

"Well, then, all you can do is hope. Hope that Lex gets smacked by the clue bus; and hope that nobody finds you before that happens."

A gust of wind blew through the living room and Chloe turned around, intending to close the window. Instead, she screamed her lungs out in horror at the shadow blocking out the low afternoon sun, before she recognized the man standing in her living room.

"Jesus fucking Christ, are you trying to kill me?!"

"Chloe? Chloe, are you there? What happened? Chloe!" Lois' tinny voice was frantic.

She'd dropped the phone on the couch in her terror and Chloe slowly lifted it up and to her ear again as she stared at the man in front of her.

"Lois, I gotta call you back. I'm going to explain later, I promise."

"What? Explain what? What the fuck is going on? Are you okay?"

"I'm alright, everything's fine. I'll call you later, kay?"

Chloe pushed the disconnect button and dropped the phone on the couch. She still couldn't believe what she was seeing. It was impossible.

"How the hell did you find me?"

The expression on his face didn't match at all with the confident pose he'd struck up as he came closer.

"I was shadowing Lois. When you called her, I used my," he motioned to his ear. "And here I am."

Chloe's jaw dropped as she stared at her high school friend. "You were super-eavesdropping on us?!"

"I can explain, really."

"I can't wait to hear it."

She had no clue why Clark was here, but there was already a tingling of fear creeping up her spine. If Clark could find her, Alexander could, too. It was only a matter of time. She couldn't stay here any longer if she wanted to be safe. She had to leave London, possibly get a new identity, and move to another country. New Zealand was supposed to be nice this time of year.

"Chloe? Chloe, are you okay?"

Her gaze focused back on the man in front of her, sweeping over the ridiculous outfit as she tried to get her frantic mind back under control.

"What do you want from me?"

Clark looked down at his boots and for a moment she expected him to start shuffling them against her carpet. His gaze came back up to meet hers under beetled brows and Chloe crossed her arms as she stared him down. 'Wonder how he does that trick with his eye color. Focus, Chloe.'

She didn't offer him a seat and he didn't make any move to step closer, which was a good thing where she was concerned. She waited for his answer. When none was forthcoming after almost a minute, Chloe rolled her eyes.

"Clark?" she said his name in the same way she'd done so many times when he'd zoned out on her and into Lana-land back in high school. When Clark reacted in the exact same way that he'd always done back then, she had to stifle a laugh. 'The more things change,' she thought.

"I was worried. You disappeared almost a year ago, and…"

"And we haven't spoken to each other in close to two. Try again," she interrupted his spiel.

"But I was worried!" Clark insisted with the same stubborn puppy dog look he used to give her back in the days. It clashed horribly with the hero costume. "I just didn't think it'd do any good to meddle."

Chloe crossed her arms over her chest and gave him a skeptical look. She had an inkling already, but wasn't sure yet if she was right. If she was right, she'd have to pack her bags the moment she managed to get rid of Super-doofus, here.

"And what changed your mind about that?"

'Please, don't say Lex. Please, don't say Lex.' She didn't get further with her mantra, because the next thing Clark said was:

"Lex."

The smile on Chloe's face felt brittle, but she managed to keep it up. 'Okay, gotta get him out of here and get the hell out of dodge.'

"Chloe, please hear me out!"

Her gaze flicked back to Clark, only now realizing that she'd looked towards the bedroom where she had a large duffel bag waiting to be used.

Clark had one hand reached out toward her and had come a few steps closer. "You looked like you were going to run," he explained as he dropped his hand again.

'Damn right, I'm going to run.'

"If you try to pull a Super-kidnapping on me and drag me back to Metropolis I'm going to make your life a living hell, Clark," she threatened as she took a few steps away from him.

His face fell instantly. Her expression must have convinced him how serious she was.

"He's not doing well, Chloe," Clark said in a low voice. "He's…"

Chloe's nails dug into her arm as she tightened her grip around herself.

"Having a hard time accepting that he can't control everything?" Her tone was snide, but she didn't really feel the anger. It was more disappointment that sharpened her tongue.

Clark shook his head. "I don't think that's the reason. At least, not anymore."

Chloe's jaw actually dropped at the words and the fact that Clark sat down on the armrest of her couch without being invited to do so.

"Yea, I can hardly believe I'm speaking in his defense, either."

She looked at the man on her couch, ignoring the costume, and for a moment she could believe they were back in high school and Clark was just a guy trying to settle an argument between two of his friends. It was ridiculous. There was so much history between all three of them that made this whole situation entirely absurd and unbelievable.

Chloe dropped down on the far side of the couch.

Clark spoke up again, but she didn't turn to face him. "He was desperate enough to actually call for me, Chloe. He asked for my help."

"What?"

She didn't know what she'd expected, but somehow not this. Alexander blackmailing Clark into bringing her back, certainly; or using some kind of threat or manipulation scheme to get his way, maybe. Kryptonite was a possibility, too. But asking? She couldn't remember the last time her husband had _asked_ for anything.

"He called me from the balcony of his penthouse. We had a talk. I wasn't sure about it at the beginning, either, but…" Clark trailed off and Chloe could feel him shrug without having to see it.

"But?"

"I don't know. He said he wants you back and that he's willing to change, just that he didn't know what or how to change." Clark paused again and Chloe finally looked over at him.

"Strange thing is," he continued with a stern frown on his face. "I'm actually inclined to believe him."

"Big word there," Chloe couldn't help but comment.

Clark smiled and it was pure instinct to smile back. But the smile fell fast when the meaning behind his words sank in. "So you've come to convince me to go back to him."

That was not going to happen. If she went back now, nothing was going to change. Alexander might say he was willing to try, but she knew him well enough to know it wouldn't happen if she went back now. He'd just brush everything under the carpet and move on down the same road like nothing had ever happened.

"No," Clark said with a shake of his head and Chloe's brows furrowed in confusion.

"Then what?" she asked sharply, trying to figure out what the hell he wanted if not to make her go back to Lex.

"Uhm." Clark had never been good when he was put on the spot.

He was the kind of guy who acted before he thought. Always willing to help, yes, but most times with only half a clue of what he was actually going to do. It was one thing to fly in and swoop a kitten from a tree, or a bomb from a building full of people. If a problem could be solved with muscle he was the right guy for the job. However, solving the marriage problems of other people was way out of his realm.

Chloe shook her head and smirked. "You didn't really think about it beyond the 'use superpowers to find her' part, did you?"

"I did tell him to look in his past to figure out what to change and that I wouldn't bring you back until you want to go back." His tone was defensive which meant she had hit the nail on the head.

"Which still doesn't explain what you're doing here."

"Trying to get your side of the story?" he offered uncertainly.

Chloe laughed. She shook her head and flopped back against the cushions of her couch. It was just too surreal. ClarkKent as Superman was sitting on her couch, trying to fix a problem that went way over his head. He'd crossed the Atlantic Ocean to find her with no idea what to do once he was actually there. It was just so Clark.

"You're not going to tell him where I am?"

"Not if you don't want me to."

"He's probably throwing darts at a picture of you right now."

Clark shrugged. "Probably, but he's always had lousy aim."

He scooted down onto the couch and turned towards her, his cape spreading out like a blanket. "Do you think you'll ever want to go back?"

Chloe looked down at her hands, fiddling with the ring finger on the left. It still felt weird not to be wearing her ring some days. But putting another ring on had felt even weirder. She wondered what Alexander had done with her wedding band. She wondered what he'd done with his.

"I do," she answered Clark's question slowly, "Just not now. Not until I can see that he's really trying to change."

Clark nodded, "Okay."

Chloe looked at him, trying to figure out when the man had lost his mind. "Okay? That's all you're going to say?"

Clark shrugged again. "Not much else I can say, is there?"

"No, I guess not."

Silence fell between them and Chloe wondered what to do now. Should she offer him a drink? Ask him to leave? Wait for him to make one of his 'Gotta go, there's this…thing I forgot' exits?

"When did you dye your hair?"

The question was so out of left field and Clark's tone so surprised that Chloe couldn't help but laugh.

"Just noticed that now, did ya?"

Maybe this was a good opportunity to play catch up. Clark wasn't a bad guy. They'd drifted apart because of their history, but who was to say that things couldn't change? She missed the old days; when things had been easier, somehow. The days when everyone was still who they were supposed to be and she didn't live in exile from everyone that mattered. She hoped there was a chance that she could get at least parts of that back. Someday, hopefully soon.


	18. Tell Me

**Chapter 18 ~ Tell Me**

Lex ambled through the penthouse, incapable of sitting down, but not able to accomplish anything either. He'd spent a lot of time pacing through the rooms of his penthouse in the last two weeks after his talk with Clark.

He still didn't know where to start. 'At the beginning' was a pretty vague hint to go by. His work had suffered for the time he devoted to pondering the meaning of those words. Strangely enough, he didn't care. His corporation was important, yes, but that's what he had a slew of lackeys for, to take matters in hand and run the ship while he was busy with more important things.

Unfortunately, the weeks hadn't given him much of anything in the way of progress. All it had done was make her absence sting worse. Lex had taken a conscious trip down memory lane and all he had seen simply showed him how good they had been together. How she used to make him smile and laugh. How things had been so much brighter and more vivid when she was there to share them. How the weight of the world on his shoulders seemed less substantial when he knew he could count on her to hold him up.

He didn't even have a picture of her anymore. He wished he hadn't burned them in a fit of rage.

A knock on the door pulled him out of his musings and Lex looked up to find one of his servants with a big manila envelope in his hands standing hesitantly in the open doorway.

"Sir, this was just left for you at the reception downstairs."

Big manila envelopes were never a good thing. Lex narrowed his eyes at the potential threat before moving his gaze back up to the servant.

"Leave it on the desk."

The servant did as told and went straight back to the door.

"Anything else, sir?"

"No. You can go."

The man closed the door behind him and Lex stayed where he was, looking at the large envelope on his desk. It would have been checked for explosives and any traces of suspicious powder before it was brought up. Which left one option. Blackmail.

Lex's jaw clenched as he walked over to the desk and snatched up the packet. It made a scrunching sound as his fingers tightened around it.

Someone had to be enormously stupid to try and blackmail him at this point. Whoever it was wouldn't live long enough to regret it that was for sure. Lex had no patience for this kind of bullshit right now and he wouldn't take the extra time to deal with it the regular way.

Ripping the seal, he upended the envelope and let its contents spill onto the desk.

His mouth opened in surprise at the assortment of newspaper clippings that fell out, along with one single sheet of plain white paper folded in half. On first sight, he could see that parts of the articles had been highlighted with yellow neon marker.

Lex snatched up the folded sheet and opened it, wondering what the hell this was about.

_You're not worth the effort I put into this, so thank your lucky stars that Chloe is. Read and pay attention asshole if you want a shot at getting her back. Considering you're pathetically stupid for a genius, I took the time to highlight the most important points._

There was no signature, but he didn't need one to know who this was coming from.

Lex sank back into his chair and stared at the pile of articles in front of him. There were so many that he was surprised she'd fit them all into one envelope.

He picked up the first cut out and read the headline of the article.

**_Project Pleasantville: Unpleasant End for 3.000 Previous Inhabitants_**

_Lex Luthor's latest housing project that created an entirely new district on the Southside of Metropolis has raised a lot of controversy. Critics have pointed out that …_

Lex frowned and moved down the article to the highlighted section.

_Among the victims are the seven hundred children of the __Parker__Community Center__ for Children. The building has been bought and the tenants evicted with 2 weeks notice. The same fate befell the three communal schools and roughly 2.000 leaseholders of one-family houses in the area._

His eyes moved along to the next highlighted section.

_Project Pleasantville gave the decaying Southside a shining new face, but at the cost of 3.000 people that now find themselves homeless and unable to afford the staggering new property leases of their former homes._

Lex ignored the rest of the article and looked for the name of the author. 'Lois Lane' stood in bold letters under the headline.

He put the article aside and picked up the next one, wondering where this was going. If she thought she was helping him by rubbing all her so called constructive criticism in his face, she was sorely mistaken.

Yes, he had given the run down, slum part of Southside a new face. He had even gone so far as to employ a fair number of the previous tenants, if you wanted to call them that, for skilled and unskilled labor involved with the project. What did that woman expect? For him to play the Good Samaritan and pay a fortune into the project, then give it to the people for free?

His eyes went back to the paper in front of him and he read the next headline.

**_Metropolis Zoo: Toxic Water Kills Endangered Animals _**

Another article penned by his wife's illustrious cousin. Lex's jaw clenched, but he skipped ahead to the highlighted text.

_…an irrefutable link between the waste emissions of the LuthorCorp plant in Metropolis' industrial area and the toxic residue found in the water reservoir of the Metropolis Zoo. The symptoms of the animals can be exclusively tied to the toxins found in their blood._

Lex huffed out a breath and put the article aside. Lois Lane made it sound like it was his fault that the animals drank contaminated water. As far as he knew, it wasn't his responsibility to check the water reservoir of the Zoo for toxins.

He picked up the next article, and could tell by the headline that the author was the same as before.

**_'Attila' strikes _****_Middle East_****_. Luthor's weapon decimates 4000 acres of fertile land _**

_…LuthorCorp's long distance combinatory missile tore into the ground, exploding thirty seconds after impact and leaving the soil barren and unproductive for the next seven decades. The combination of chemical aggressors emitted with the detonation have destroyed the landscape irrevocably and …_

Lex pushed the strip of paper aside and reached for the next.

**_Vicidren – Mortality rate gives reason for concern._**

His brow arched. This didn't sound like the typical Lois Lane headline. His eyes skimmed down to catch the name of the author and his brows furrowed. The man's name didn't ring any bells and the layout of the article was different from that of a newspaper. More along the lines of a magazine.

_…despite the high success rate of LuthorCorp's new drug for cancer treatment, the outcome of the first testing on human subjects leaves a bitter aftertaste. The mortality rate of the tested people lies at 20% and research has yet to explain the cause for this intolerance in one out of five patients that have taken the drug. Even though it has to be considered an incredible success that 80% of the test subjects have forced the cancer into remission with the help of this new cure, it is premature to speak of an all around success when the treatment costs the life of one in five patients. LuthorCorp has unfortunately not yet revealed what steps are being taken to remedy this 20% failure rate. The fact that the drug is being pushed through FDA testing for official release despite the high mortality rate is an even greater matter of concern…_

Lex sneered. What did they expect of him? His scientists were still working on the problem but if he hadn't used his contacts to push the drug through FDA testing it would never have been released and instead of twenty percent, there would still be an eighty to hundred percent mortality rate. Of course it wasn't strictly legal, but everyone was informed of the risk beforehand. So maybe he could have instructed his scientists to take a few steps back, but he wanted the drug out there now, not twenty years from now.

The articles went on and on. Different newspapers and magazines, different authors, even a few from other countries. He kept reading through them, shaking his head and muttering under his breath to refute the claims that Lois had highlighted. There were so many, and he didn't even remember half the things that were thrown in his face.

What the hell was Lois trying to tell him with this? That he was an asshole for doing things that helped a majority of people, just because there were drawbacks to his actions? That Chloe had left him because some Zoo animals had died and a few people had lost their homes?

_'The strife of other people is not our concern, son. They're at the bottom of the food-chain and it's not our responsibility to help them up. We're businessmen, not philanthropists.'_

His father's voice seemed to echo through the empty office and Lex sank back into his chair.

All thoughts ground to a halt as realization sank in.

The sound of the door opening ripped him out of his shock and he was about to snap at whoever had breached his privacy when he recognized the young woman in her maid's outfit. Penelope.

He remembered the last time he'd come across the maid and the way she had helped him when he had lost his control and ransacked his office at the mansion after his fight with Lois.

She'd been so blunt with him that he had been tempted to fire her, but her daring attitude had impressed him enough to let it slide. Penelope was one of those ruthlessly honest people who would tell you their opinion whether you wanted to hear it or not if she thought you needed to hear it.

Lex looked at the newspaper articles in front of him again and folded his hands in his lap.

"I apologize, sir, do you want me to come back later?" Her voice was still the same gentle lilt with the clearly audible accent.

"No, it's alright."

Penelope nodded and pushed her cart into the room, then headed straight for the windows with a bucket and a spray bottle. Her mouth was pressed in a firm line as she started spraying the large glass surfaces.

Lex watched her for a moment and tried to straighten out his thoughts.

Hearing the words of his deceased father echo through his mind had shocked him, more than he had expected. Lionel was dead and long gone and Lex had believed himself free of the man's influence. He'd changed the image of LuthorCorp successfully, or so he'd thought, and he'd cleaned out all of the completely illegal projects that Lionel had been involved in.

But somewhere along the line, something must have happened. Something that caused Lois Lane to become his harshest critic and pushed his own wife to run away. Somewhere along the line he had lost his way and perhaps that was what Lois was trying to show him with these articles.

But he couldn't believe it.

He wasn't like Lionel. He didn't do things just for profit. He had higher aims. He wanted to turn this city and the world into a better place. He wanted to lead the people into a brighter future.

"Penelope?" His voice sounded distant in the otherwise silent room.

The girl turned around and looked at him expectantly. "Yes, sir?"

"Am I a monster?"

Penelope looked shocked for a second before she lowered her gaze from him. He could see in her face that this question made her uncomfortable and she was taking a long moment in deciding with her answer. That was never a good sign.

"Answer me, Penelope."

She bit her bottom lip and cleared her throat, her brows furrowed deeply. But finally she looked up and met his gaze dead on.

"I have worked for you for the past four years now, and I have seen you do many things that I could never really understand nor support." She set aside the spray bottle and stepped a little closer to his desk. "Over time, those things have become more frequent and they have become worse."

She cocked her head to the side and looked at him with furrowed brows. "Some people might think you a monster, but I have heard my nana's stories of the place and time she grew up in. A monster would not question his actions. A monster would not grieve over losing his mate."

"I think, sir, you have become lost in a very unpleasant place and let yourself adjust to it instead of finding your way out."

Lex smirked a little and leaned back into his chair. "Very diplomatically spoken, Penelope."

He watched her hands ball up into small fists and her chin stuck out mulishly as she looked back at him. "Do not mock me, sir. You have asked my opinion and I gave it."

She shook her head at him and returned to cleaning the windows and Lex watched her silently.

Lost in an unpleasant place, indeed. That was just a nice metaphor for turning into a despicable human being who did things that were immoral and illegal. How had this happened? He didn't know. He had no idea when things had changed and what had happened to let him slip up. Where had he crossed the line? He couldn't even tell, because he had not noticed that there was a line in the first place.

Lex remembered the last time he'd spoken to Chloe before she'd left him. Remembered what she had thrown at his head before she'd placed the ring on his desk. And from there, it was easy to recall another conversation, and another one, and several more before that.

They had fought too much over the last couple of years. Lex had cast it aside every time as a clash of differing opinions. He'd made the mistake to think that their relationship could go on ignoring those minor differences. He'd obviously been wrong.

"What am I gonna do?" he uttered the question in a low voice, as he tried to think of a way to change things. Something that would help him bring Chloe back.

Penelope huffed and threw her cloth into the bucket. "El que la sigue la consigue. And an apology has never hurt anyone."

She turned around and Lex was surprised that she had the guts to speak to him again without being asked. "You want to change? Change. You're not a leopard who has to live with his spots. Destino es que haces no que duras."

Her words hit him like a slap in the face as she picked up her bucket and went back to the cart. 'Destiny is what you make of it.'

She pulled her cart out of the door and shook her head at him before she left and closed the door firmly behind her.

But how the hell could he apologize, much less follow her, when he didn't even know how to contact her?


	19. What Goes Around

Another 4 years later, here are three new chapters. I will finish this.** Thank you lanaaluthor, alexis374, petrafan77, mylove24, Lyssa Baby, carolannw5, kate, seghen, lita2extreme, Nellanna23, Santas Helper, Jeh-may, LexLover, Michelle67, KanSol, ME, Roslyn, Alexandra, Supergirl, Renee ;), robyn, somethingeasy and blue. Wherever you are today :) This is for you guys.**

**Chapter 19 ~ What Goes Around**

Saturday mornings were usually relatively quiet for Chloe. Since she worked for a yellow press tabloid rather than a respectable newspaper, all she had to do was wait for somebody's weekend exploits to hit the grapevine and flesh out the skeleton story that she kept on hand for that very occasion. It was a lazy way of earning her money, but it gave her free time to spend on the phone with her cousin in another time zone, which made it more difficult to stay in touch on a regular basis.

Chloe waited until after 3 pm and made herself some tea before she grabbed the phone and called Lois, sure that her cousin would be up and out of bed by 10 am her time.

"Good morning, this is your friendly transatlantic wake up call." Chloe pulled out her best imitation of an upper-class British accent and added a flight attendent lilt for good measure.

Lois snorted loudly and there was the click of a lighter before she responded around the cigarette in her mouth. "You're a little late for that. I already had breakfast and I've got about ten minutes before I've gotta jet to meet Smallville at the docks. There's something fishy going on with the Deep Sea Fishermen's Union, pun intended."

Chloe wrinkled her nose. "You can think of a better headline. And you're working with Clark now?" She had never thought that was going to happen. Her cousin and her high school friend had been like oil and water from the moment they met at the Daily Planet.

"Yeah," Lois said before taking a long drag off her cigarette. "Perry took him off the fluff pieces and assigned him as my partner." She spat the last word out like something foul. "Said that I got myself into trouble one too many times and that I, quote, 'can't spell worth a damn', end quote."

"Ouch," Chloe said sympathetically. However, she couldn't help but feel relieved, knowing that her cousin was now permanently under the protection of Superman. On the other hand, she did wonder how long it would take Lois to figure out that her new partner was more than a mild-mannered farmboy from Smallville.

"Eh." Lois made a dismissive noise through her nose. "I'll work around him if I have to."

Chloe snickered, imagining the antics that this team of reporters would get into.

"Listen, there's something I have to tell you, though." Lois' tone was suddenly very serious. "And I'm not sure how you're going to take it."

Chloe stopped chuckling abruptly, alarm bells going off in her head. "What is it?"

"Lex withdrew the divorce."

The floor underneath Chloe seemed to disappear and her ears filled with a loud ringing noise as her vision went hazy. She could barely hear herself ask, "What?"

"Yeah, he didn't make any official statements, yet. But, a couple days after the press conference, he petitioned to drop the divorce filing. With his connections and, since you never officially responded, the case was dismissed that same week."

The ground under Chloe's feet slowly turned solid again, but her heart was still hammering in her chest. "When did you find out?"

"Yesterday," Lois said slowly, "I was at the courthouse for …" She trailed off and sucked on her cigarette. "Listen, it really doesn't matter. I heard, I cross-checked with all my sources at the courthouse and it's true. He revoked the divorce." She paused for a moment and exhaled a heavy breath. "We should have seen this coming."

Chloe shook her head. Her mind was racing and she needed to think. She needed to figure out what to do. Alexander had withdrawn from the divorce. There would be no more divorce. Because he thought someone would bring her back to him and everything would go back to how it was before.

"Lo, I gotta go." Her voice sounded mechanical even to her ringing ears.

"Chloe, are you ok?" Lois' voice sounded hesitant.

"I'll talk to you later."

"Chloe?" she asked a little louder this time.

"Bye." Chloe hung up before Lois could say anything else.

Her heart pounded in her chest as she lowered the phone. She slowly raised her tea-cup and took a sip. She blinked a few times and took another sip. The sweetness of the tea made her nauseous. She raised the phone again and started to go through the internal address book until she found the number. Then she hit dial and brought the phone to her ear. It rang three times.

"Steinberg and Wolff, Family, Divorce and Financial Attorneys, Steinberg speaking."

Chloe stared down into the remainder of her tea. "Sam, I need you to do me a favor."

By the time Dan showed up at her apartment an hour later, Chloe had lost her tenuous hold on the eerie calm that had carried her through the phone call with Sam. She was a complete mess and she had no idea what she was doing, or why she had done any of the things she had done so far.

"Chloe?" Dan engulfed her in a bear hug the moment he saw her. "What the hell happened? Are you alright?"

She wiggled out of the hug and took a few quick steps back, shaking her head. "No, I'm not. I'm definitely not. I have no idea what I am but I'm really not alright."

Running shaking hands through her hair, she stalked into the living room, then spun on her heel and started pacing the length of it from the kitchen counter to the window. "I called Lois, and then I called Sam, and then I filed for divorce. So I'm certainly not alright. What was I thinking?"

"Oy, back up a step." Dan caught her around the shoulders on her third trip and bent his knees to look her directly in the eyes. "You filed for divorce? I thought he did that."

She shook her head as her eyes moved wildly around the room. "He took it back. She told me he took it back and I knew why he did it." She grabbed Dan's shirt and made herself look at him. "I knew why he did it and I couldn't let him have that! He can't think for one moment that I'd ever just come back. I'm not going back! I'm not ever going back to Alexander! I'm not letting him win!" Her voice got louder with every word and she started shaking Dan to emphasize her point. "He can't win!"

"Alright, alright." Dan pried her hands off his shirt and held on to them, squeezing them firmly. "Calm down. C'mon, have a seat, luv." He ushered her down onto the couch but kept a hold of her hands. "Talk to me."

Chloe pulled her hands out of his grip and started wringing them in her lap. "I called Lois this morning. She told me he took it back, that he filed to revoke the divorce after the press conference." She sucked in a shaky breath and folded her hands tightly. "The case was dismissed within the week."

"Alright," Dan said slowly. "Uhm, don't tear my head off, luv, but wasn't that a good thing?"

"A good thing?!" Chloe jumped up from her seat and glared down at Dan, ready to tear his head off. "How in the world is that a good thing?"

Dan didn't get up, but shifted forward a little in his seat. "I thought you didn't want a divorce?" he asked calmly.

"Of course I don't want a divorce!" she yelled, flapping her hands erratically. "But he left me no choice!" She raked her hands through her hair and collapsed back into the couch.

"I don't think I'm following," Dan said slowly, confusion written all over his face.

Chloe wiped a hand down her face and stared at the ceiling. She could feel tears stinging in her eyes. "If I let him take it back, he'll think that all he has to do is wait. He'll believe that someone will find me and I'll come back to him, and that everything will go back to the way it was."

"And we don't want that." Dan nodded in understanding and crossed his arms over his chest. "So you turned 'round and filed for divorce yourself to make sure he gets the picture."

Chloe nodded slowly and pulled her knees up to her chest, folding her arms around them.

"That's one hell of a move, luv." He uncrossed his arms and wrapped one arm around her shoulder. When she didn't push him away immediately, he tugged on it once and she slumped against his side. "Won't that tell him where you are though?"

Chloe shook her head against Dan's shoulder. "I didn't tell Sam where I am. I told him to draw up the papers and give them to Lois. She'll e-mail them to an old contact I have in France and he'll print them out and overnight them to me. Then I'll use another one of my contacts in Poland to send them back to Lois."

Dan chortled. "You sound like a James Bond movie."

Chloe sniffed and chuckled mirthlessly. "If that's what it takes."

"He'll be pissed," Dan said quietly.

"I don't care." She curled herself even more into his side.

"Yeah, you do." He squeezed her gently.

"Yeah, I do."


	20. Comes Around

**Chapter 20 ~ Comes Around**

"She did what?" Lex's grip tightened on the cordless phone until he heard the plastic creak.

"She filed for divorce, Lex." Sam's voice sounded deeply weary.

"I heard you the first time," Lex snapped as he stalked over to the wet bar. His mind was working furiously. "Who's the lawyer on the papers? If we have that, we can track her down."

"No lawyer, it's just a standard draft she could have gotten anywhere, but it was notarized in Metropolis and the papers were filed with the court this morning. They'll probably serve you the papers by tomorrow."

"Can she do this without coming out of hiding? She'll have to come out for the hearing, right?"

Sam cleared his throat uncomfortably. "Not necessarily. The no-fault divorce law only requires one signature and a hearing is only necessary if both parties are present and wish to solve alimony or child support issues. Remember, I told you this when you filed?"

"I remember you saying a lot of things, so what does it mean?" Lex downed his first drink and refilled the glass.

Sam sighed. "It means that all she has to do is wait out the thirty days required by the state of Kansas before the court makes its ruling automatically and your marriage will officially be dissolved, whether you sign the papers or not."

Lex's breath caught in his throat as the statement sunk in. "She can't do that."

"Yes, Lex, she can. And I have a feeling she will."

Lex's world was spinning and he could feel the ground drop out from beneath his feet. "No."

"Lex, you knew this was a possibility when you filed," Sam stated neutrally.

"No, she would have never…" He trailed off and sucked in a breath.

Releasing a roar of frustration, Lex spun on his heel and hurled the glass across the room. "How can she do this to me?!" he roared at the top of his lungs. "I gave her everything! She had everything! There was nothing I wouldn't give her, nothing I wouldn't _do_ to…" He cut himself off mid-tirade to suck in shaky breath. Then he released it and sucked in another. His hands were trembling.

"Lex?" Sam asked hesitantly.

His voice was low and shaky when he spoke again. "What am I going to do?"

For the first time in a long time Lex Luthor did not have an immediate contingency plan. He didn't have the slightest clue what his next step should be, or how he could turn this situation around to his advantage.

"I don't know what to do, Sam," he admitted quietly.

Sam Steinberg inhaled a deep, contemplative breath and released it with a low hum before he spoke.

"I think you need to accept the fact that your plan has failed. Then you can seriously contemplate the current situation, readjust your approach to this entire case and choose your next steps accordingly."

Lex snorted derisively. "Spoken like a true lawyer."

Lex hung up the phone before Sam could say anything else. As much as he hated to admit it, his lawyer was right. Lex needed to sit down and think real hard about what to do next. Of course, this was easier said than done, because he had no clue where to go from here. He only had thirty days. Thirty days from now the divorce would go through and Chloe would no longer be his wife.

His hands were still shaking and he dropped the phone on the desk behind him. He walked the few steps around it in a trance and sank down heavily into his chair. His fingers started to drum out a steady rhythm on the glass surface as he stared blankly ahead.

He hadn't lied to Sam when he said he would do anything for Chloe. The problem was that he had no idea what it was that he was supposed to do now.

"What do you want?" he whispered to the empty room, then raised his voice to the ceiling. "Why can't you tell me what you want?" He knew he was losing his mind when he raised his hands in supplication and shouted, "What the hell is it that you want from me, Chloe?"

Unexpectedly, he received an answer to his question when he closed his eyes and remembered their final conversation for the millionth time.

_"I never meant it to end this way, and I'm sorry. If you ever decide to turn back into the man I love more than my life, let me know."_

He let his hands fall back on the desk, dropped his chin to his chest and exhaled slowly.

"Is that what it's going to take?" he murmured quietly under his breath.

/ / / / / /

"Come on, only one teensy little interview. I'll even settle for a five question blurb!" When Chloe succumbed to wheedling, she did it like anything else, full force with no holds barred. She even remembered to fold her hands and bat her lashes prettily at him as she followed him doggedly down the hallway towards his office. "We never finished the first one, and that was over three years ago!"

Lex refrained from rolling his eyes and kept moving. "Three years and eight months to be precise. And the reason we didn't finish it was because you were thrown out of a window and I don't care to repeat that kind of experience. I'm afraid I can't take that kind of risk."

Chloe's hands dropped to her side as she stopped dead in her tracks and gaped at him like a fish. "Are you serious?"

Lex turned and kept walking backwards as he smirked at her. "No, but it was worth it to see that expression on your face."

"Oh, you…" She pressed her lips together and continued her pursuit, catching up to him quickly. "So you admit it yourself, there is no reason not to give me that interview."

"I admit no such thing," Lex said nonchalantly as he rounded the corner and opened the wide double doors to his office. "There is, in fact, no reason to grant you an interview."

She followed him inside and closed the doors behind her. "There is a reason, many reasons! Good reasons to give me that interview."

Lex looked back over his shoulder and arched a brow. "Name one," he said before he walked around his desk and settled down in his chair.

"For one, an up and coming businessman like you…"

Lex raised his hand and interrupted her. "A real reason. We both know I won't fall for flattery and bullshit."

Chloe dropped her gesturing hands, pouted for a second, then flopped into one of the visitor chairs across from him with a huff. "Fine."

They were both quiet for a moment as Lex watched her brace her chin on one hand, tilt her head and think hard, obviously recalculating her approach and trying to find the right angle to get him to agree. When she finally raised her head again, she looked him straight in the eyes.

"The truth is we both need this interview," she said bluntly. "I need it to stand a chance in hell to get a job with the Daily Planet and you need the good publicity to separate yourself from your old man now that he's in jail and you're trying to rebuild and re-image the company."

Lex appreciated the honesty in that statement. He was also impressed how she could talk about his father's current position as if she had nothing to do with it. She didn't even flinch despite the fact that Lionel Luthor was the one personally responsible for blowing up her house and forcing her to hide in witness protection for months before they were able to take the stand and put him away for good. Lex had admired Chloe when she was just a stubborn teenager. But the woman who sat in front of him now was more than just an admirable person or business asset.

When he finally responded it was not with a carefully deliberated response.

"How about a date instead?"

"Hah, hah," Chloe shot back without missing a beat. "Did you really think you could get the drop on me twice? Come on, Lex, be serious."

"I am serious." He leaned forward and braced his folded hands on the glass table between them. "How would you like to go on a date with me?"

Chloe blinked rapidly and sat up straighter in her chair. "I don't know."

He could tell the exact moment she overcame the surprise and regained her footing.

Her perplexed expression turned into an impish smile and she leaned forward in her seat. "We've never dated before, so I can't say how I would like it."

Lex's smirk widened just a fraction as he cocked his head to the side. "Is that a…"

"Yes," she said before he could finish his sentence. "I'll go on a date with you. I'll even consider it 'off the record', but that doesn't mean you're off the hook for that interview."

/ / / / / /

Lex shook his head at the memory and got up from his desk to get another drink. If he had known how this was going to end all the way back then, would he still have asked her out on that date?

He remembered asking himself that same question when he woke up in the hospital the day after their first date. It had turned out a complete disaster, thanks to the peculiarities of the town they lived in at the time. True to Smallville fashion, everything had started out deceptively fun and harmless but then had taken a sharp turn for the bizarre and dangerous before long.

/ / / / / /

It was the obnoxious beep and click of the monitors hooked up to him that pulled him out of his sleep.

"Hey, sleepy-head, there you are." The female voice was so choked up he didn't recognize it through the cotton in his ears. "I thought you'd never wake up."

Lex cracked his lids open and immediately regretted it when the bright halogen lamps of the hospital assaulted his vision. He squeezed his eyes shut and turned his head in the direction of the woman's voice before he opened them again just enough to see who it was.

"What happened?" he croaked out. His throat was parched.

Chloe smiled then winced when it aggravated her split lip. "One of them was taking a swing at me and you stopped him. They knocked you out."

There was a huge purple bruise around Chloe's left eye and her left arm was bandaged up to the elbow.

'Obviously, I didn't stop him,' Lex thought. He licked his dry lips. "How -" His question was interrupted by a coughing fit and it felt like his head would explode. His eyes searched around for some water.

"How did we get out?" Chloe asked knowingly as she reached over to the nightstand for the water jar and a cup. "Clark found us," she said neutrally, keeping her eyes on the task as she filled the cup half way and brought it to him.

Lex let her help him up but he took the cup from her hand when it looked like she was going to try to feed him like an invalid. He downed the water in one gulp and shuddered through another impressive coughing fit before he caught his breath.

"Clark." It wasn't a question.

"Yeah," she said quietly as she took the cup from him and filled it again.

"And they?" He watched her closely as he drained the second cup before he placed it back on the nightstand.

"Dead. Cops called it spontaneous stroke as the result of an overdose."

His headache was getting better and he managed to open his eyes fully and look her straight in the face. "They weren't on drugs." He waited for her to lie to him.

"No, they weren't." She met his eyes earnestly and without hesitation. "They were meteor-freaks and Clark saved us."

Lex nodded, grateful that she hadn't lied to cover up for her friend.

Now that his vision worked properly again, he really took in her appearance for the first time. The bruise on her face looked nasty and painful. Aside from the cut on her lip there were multiple others. None of them had been there before he lost consciousness. Those thugs had taken their anger out on her after Lex refused to give them what they wanted.

"I'm sorry," he said quietly, reaching out to brush her hair away from her face.

He wasn't surprised when she jerked back to avoid his touch, but he was stunned when she caught his hand in hers and held on tight.

"This wasn't your fault," she said vehemently.

Lex shook his head. "If I had…"

Chloe gave his hand a firm squeeze and interrupted him mid-sentence. "If you had given them what they wanted, they would have killed us. And even if they hadn't, they could have gone anywhere, using their powers and your money, to hurt who knows how many other people."

Lex couldn't believe that she was defending him when she knew that he was the reason those thugs had their powers in the first place. "They weren't lying, you know?"

He pulled his hand from her grip and rested it in his lap. Suddenly, it was a lot harder to meet her eyes. "I'm the reason they turned into freaks in the first place."

"Bullshit," Chloe spat curtly.

"No, it's the truth, Chloe." His tone was just as sharp as hers. "I've had people dig up those damn rocks for the past two years. If it wasn't for that they'd still be …"

"They'd still be criminal jerks who will kidnap people and beat them up for their money, only without the added perks of meteor powers," Chloe interrupted him again before he could finish his sentence. "Don't be stupid, Lex. This is Smallville. They could have been infected by those rocks anywhere and it was their choice what to do with their powers."

Lex was amazed at how clearly she saw things from her perspective and how much conviction she put into every single word. "You really believe that it's not my fault."

"Duh." Chloe rolled her eyes, which made her wince. In reaction, she reached out for the spot and winced again when her fingers touched the bruise. "Ow, damnit." She huffed out a frustrated breath. "I must look like a real hot mess."

Lex chuckled despite himself. "Yeah, you do, actually."

"Oh, really?" she drawled challengingly. "Well, you've got nothing to laugh about. Just wait til you look in the mirror, mister."

Lex instinctively reached up to his face and frowned when his fingers touched his cheekbone and he barely felt anything. "That bad?"

"They've got you hopped up on painkillers right now." Chloe pointed to the drip on the other side of the bed that was connected to a line going into his left arm. "Thank your lucky stars they gave you the good stuff."

Lex chuckled. "It has to be the good stuff, because I can barely feel my face."

The humor seemed to drain from Chloe's eyes at that and she slowly reached out towards him. Barely touching him, she ran her fingers over his cheekbone and down to his chin. "I might be the only one who thinks so, but black and purple are really not your colors."

Before he could make a witty comment in return, she pressed her lips against his and kissed him gently once then again a little more firmly until they both winced. He was still a little stunned when she moved back and stood up beside his bed.

Chloe wiped quickly at her eyes and straightened her spine. "That's how you're supposed to end a date. Take notes, Lex, because the next time we're doing this properly, with both of us standing upright and at my front door."

It took him a moment to believe that she was actually suggesting they go on another date. And while he was tempted to nix that idea right then and there, and while part of him was wondering if he would ever have asked her out in the first place, had he known what would happen, he heard himself respond with the cocky confidence of a playboy.

"Any notes I should take about the part where you ask me in for coffee?"

Chloe laughed and the carefree sound made him crack a real smile. "Don't get ahead of yourself, Lex. You've got a lot to learn."

He chuckled because he wasn't sure he could pull off an eyebrow waggle if his life depended on it. "I look forward to it."

/ / / / / /

Lex caught himself staring out the window like a mindless idiot. He refilled his glass to the brim and walked away. If he was going to take a trip down memory lane, he would at least not become a movie cliché in the process.

The pool table was already set up for a game, so he set the glass down on the long bank, picked his favorite cue and took his frustration out on the multicolored balls in front of him.

Somewhere in his memories was the answer. Somewhere in there was that illusive man that she loved more than her life and Lex wouldn't stop until he found him.


	21. All Fall Down

**Chapter 21 ~ All Fall Down**

Chloe stared at the document in her hands, still not quite convinced that it was real.

"So, how do you feel about it?" Lois' voice wavered between curiosity and concern.

"I don't know," Chloe said slowly. "I never thought this would happen."

"Yeah, I don't think anyone did."

Chloe snorted. "Bullshit. There were plenty of people who were placing bets on how long we'd last and I know you were one of them." She wasn't really angry at Lois, but it was easier to be cold, than to let the creeping sense of loss overtake her.

"Well, yeah, but I didn't really think it would happen. That's why I never put any money down."

Chloe swallowed heavily and tightened her fingers on the flimsy piece of government issued paper. She felt like she needed to say something to make it real. "I'm…"

Her brows crinkled and she couldn't say the words. She licked her lips and opened her mouth to try again, but nothing came out.

"You're divorced," Lois said in a low voice.

Hearing her cousin say it popped something inside and all of a sudden the words spilled out.

"I'm divorced." Her voice creaked.

Tears started to stream down her face as if somebody had punched her in the gut. She started to sob uncontrollably and nearly dropped the phone in her hand as she covered her mouth with her arm to stifle a scream.

"Chloe? Chloe?!" Her cousin's voice was barely audible despite the fact that she was shouting.

Chloe felt like she was flying apart, like a part of her had been ripped out and now she was exploding into a million pieces. She couldn't breathe. She was shaking too hard. Her legs couldn't carry her.

It could have been minutes or hours later when the frantic knocking on her door pulled her out of her mind. She had stopped crying because at some point her eyes had run dry. She had stopped screaming because her voice had gone hoarse. But she hadn't stopped shaking because she still felt like a huge part of her was missing and had left a gaping hole where she was supposed to be.

Chloe shakily got up on her knees and pulled herself up off the floor. She could recognize Dan's voice overtop the sound of his fist banging against the wood by the time she was halfway towards the front door. She didn't have the energy to answer, so she just shuffled the rest of the way and unhooked the chain then opened the door.

Dan burst in so quickly he almost clocked her with the door. "Are you okay?" He grabbed her shoulders and looked her over for less than a second before he pulled her into a crushing hug.

"You had us scared to death, luv. You can't do that."

She didn't have the strength to fight his embrace, so she just turned her head to the side enough to be able to breathe. "Us?"

"Your cousin Lo called me," he explained as he kicked the door shut behind him.

"Ah." She took a deep breath and sighed.

The shaking let up a little bit, so she took another deep breath and let it go slowly. She could feel the warmth of Dan's body soaking into her and the chill of the floor under her socked feet. The ticking of the clock above the fridge was louder than usual. She wondered if this was the moment where she would discover her dormant meteor-freak powers because of the overwhelming shock.

"I'm a complete mess," she said finally.

"Yeah," Dan agreed with a huff, stroking her back in soothing circles. "But you're not screaming bloody murder or wielding a knife, so it's all good."

The non-sequitur of that statement made her chuckle despite herself. And once she started, she found that she couldn't stop. So she just laughed against Dan's shoulder like a lunatic and shook her head back and forth to show that she really didn't think it was funny.

Dan simply tightened his arms around her and started rocking her back and forth. "It'll be okay."

"You are such a bad liar," Chloe accused between sobbing breaths.

Three weeks later things seemed to have gone back to normal. Truthfully, Chloe was clinging to everyday routine and each bit of normalcy she could find to distract herself from the existence of the official piece of paperwork that sat in her desk drawer at home.

"You are such a filthy, rotten liar!" Chloe swatted Dan with the morning newspaper repeatedly.

"Oy, oy, oy! I said I could get you into the party, I never said it'd be as a guest!"

"I had to wear a stripper maid outfit!" She smacked him again for good measure.

"And you looked positively lovely." He parried the next swat of the newspaper with his arm and grabbed the offending object before she could hit him again. "It got you the story though, didn't it?"

Chloe glared heatedly. "Oh yeah, it got me that." She ripped the newspaper back out of his hand. "And it got me disgusting propositions from not one, but three men who are older than my father!" She bonked him on the head. "Bad, bad partner. Shame on you."

By this point, Dan was guffawing like a fool even as he tried to put a desk between him and Chloe's surprisingly long reach with her weapon of choice.

"Alright, alright. I surrender. No more maid outfits, got it." He held up both hands in supplication then cocked his head to the side. "How about a sexy nurse next time?" He leered playfully and waggled his brows.

Chloe made an outraged noise and hurled herself over the desk to get at him but Dan was as quick as a weasel and already halfway towards their editor's office before she made it around the desk.

"Chief, save me! I've got a mad woman after my hide!"

"And I'm sure you did something to deserve it." The chief looked completely unmoved by their antics. "Simmons, Lance, in my office. I've got a new assignment and you're wasting daylight."

It was 11 pm by the time Chloe finally got home. She was completely exhausted and didn't bother to turn the lights on or check her answering machine. It had been a long day and she was ready to take some pills, fall into bed and be unconscious for the next six or seven hours.

"Chloe, don't freak out."

She screamed and jumped about a mile in the air, at the same time grabbing for the baseball bat she kept in the umbrella stand by the door.

The next moment she was in the middle of her living room, empty handed, the lights were all on and she was looking at the large diamond shaped crest symbol with the stylized, bright red 'S' in the middle of Superman's chest.

"You jerkass!" She reflexively smacked him in the chest then pulled her hand back just as quickly to cradle it against her belly. "Ow."

"I'm sorry! Did you hurt yourself?" The moment he started talking he lost all the grace and style of Superman and turned into bumbling, klutzy Clark. "" I didn't mean to freak you out."

Chloe pulled back before he could touch her wrist. "So you waited in my apartment, with the lights off, and waited to say something til I was almost on top of you?" Her look made it perfectly clear how stupid he was.

"I…yeah, that was dumb. I'm sorry." He scuffed the toe of his ridiculous go-go boot over her parquet floors. "Can I look at your wrist? Make sure it's okay? Please"

Chloe rolled her eyes and held out her arm so he could use his x-ray vision on it. "It's fine."

Clark stared creepily at her wrist for a moment before he responded. "Yeah, it is."

"So, why the hell are you here?" Now that the shock had worn off, Chloe's intrepid nature took over. "Did something happen? If Lex sent you on another fool's…"

"It's not Lex," Clark interrupted her before she could finish the sentence. "Chloe, I'm afraid I have bad news. Why don't you…"

It was Chloe's turn to interrupt. "I swear if you tell me to sit down I will punch you again, my bones be damned."

Her heartbeat had picked up immediately. If it was bad enough that Clark had to don the costume to speed across the Atlantic, she needed to know what it was. "What's wrong?"

Part of her still wanted to ask if Lex was alright. She felt guilty, because the only reason it was easy to fight the urge was that Clark had already said it wasn't him.

"Your dad had a heart attack." Clark delivered the news with all the tact of a steam roller.

"Oh my god." Chloe felt light headed as her heart tripped over itself and her breath caught in her throat. "Is he…"

"He's stable. He's at Metropolis General right now and they're monitoring him, but he's not out of the woods."

"I have to go, I need to go." Chloe couldn't think clearly, but she needed to pack a few things and call the airport. Her feet were already moving towards the bedroom.

"I need to call Dan, and my boss, and then I need to get a cab!" She stormed into her bedroom and pulled her duffelbag from under the bed. "I need to…"

"Chloe, calm down." Clark was behind her, hovering uncomfortably.

She whipped around and nearly stumbled into him. "Don't tell me to calm down. I have to pack and get a cab and call Lois." She trailed off and felt her blood drain from her face. "Oh my god, Lois! Does she know? Is she with him?"

"Yes," Clark said calmly. "When I overheard her calling you she was on the way to the hospital, so I'm sure she's with him."

"Good, good." Chloe nodded frantically. "He shouldn't be alone. He needs to have family with him. Oh, god." She felt physically sick. If his 'family' hadn't gone and abandoned him, this would never have happened.

She pressed a hand over her mouth to keep from throwing up and brushed past Clark to get to her closet. She didn't even look at what she grabbed before she returned to shove it into the duffelbag and swung back to grab more clothes.

"Chloe, stop." Clark grabbed her by the shoulders and stopped her mid stride.

"Why can't everybody just stop grabbing me!" She threw her arms up to push Clark away.

He let her go, but stayed right in front of her. "Chloe, you're not making any sense. Please, I need you to calm down. I'm not flying with you like this."

Chloe shook her head and returned to the duffel with another handful of clothes, trying to make everything fit into the small bag. "You're not making any sense. You don't have to bother waiting around for a plane. Unlike me, you can just..." She made a vague motion with one hand indicating a plane taking off. "Up and away."

Clark rolled his eyes at her and she really wanted to punch him in the face then and there, but she had too much to do before she could get to the airport and a broken hand did not fit into that schedule.

"And I can take you with me." He enunciated each word emphatically, trying to get through to her. "But not if you're acting like a crazy person and I have to worry about you wiggling out of my grip the whole flight."

That made Chloe stop in her tracks. "What?"

"Finally." Clark exhaled. "Let me help you pack." He slowly approached the duffel and started pulling things out. "And then I will take you and your bag back to Metropolis before the sun sets over the east coast. Sound good?"

Chloe watched him pull out a silk scarf and knee high socks she didn't even remember grabbing. The fact that he did it all very calmly and methodically helped her get her act together, at least for the moment.

"Yeah, okay. Let's do that." She nodded. "I have to call…"

Clark nodded. "Go ahead and call your boss, and whoever else you need to tell. I'll take care of this."

"Okay." She nodded back, feeling like a bobble head. "Okay."

When she came back to her bedroom twenty minutes later, her bag was packed and Clark was just zipping it up.

"Did you get a hold of everybody?" Clark asked over his shoulder.

"Yeah." Chloe crossed her arms over her chest. "Dan took the longest. I had to convince him to stay put. He was ready to pack up his stuff and come with me."

Clark nodded and busied his hands with the duffel, even though it was ready to go. "You and Dan," he said slowly. "Are you two…I mean, is he your…" He trailed off uncomfortably.

"God, no." Chloe held up a hand to stop Clark's line of thought right there. "No. Dan is just a friend. A really good friend. There's nothing going on between us."

Clark huffed out an enormous breath of relief then stopped and cocked his head to the side as if he was confused. "I'm not even sure why I'm relieved to hear that."

Chloe chuckled. "It's okay." She had no interest in getting too deeply into this conversation. They had a current to catch. "Are you ready?"

Clark picked up the duffel and nodded. "Yeah, are you?"

She chuckled again nervously as she watched Clark come closer and slowly reach out his arm as if she would bite. "Ready as I'll ever be," she said with a wavering smile.

"Put your arms around my neck and hold on tight."

Chloe nodded and wrapped her arms around his neck. Things got extremely awkward for a moment when Clark pulled her into a tight hug. But the next moment the world was a blur around her and all she felt was the pressure of air rushing past her body as Clark whisked her away into the night sky.


	22. Daddy's Girl

**Chapter 22 ~ Daddy's Girl **

Hospitals had always freaked Chloe out. Maybe it was because she and her friends and family ended up in them too often. Maybe it was because the smell gave her a headache. Whatever it was, she could never shake it. And now it was even worse because she knew that her dad was lying in one of those sterile, impersonal beds with their safety bars and wheels, just behind the spotless light blue door in front of her face.

When she felt Clark's hand on her shoulder, she snapped out of her stupor and slowly opened the door. The first look at her dad after over a year broke her heart.

Surrounded by monitors and IV-drips on both sides of the bed, Gabe Sullivan looked nothing like the energetic, happy man she remembered. His face was gaunt and pale, he had lost a lot of weight and the thin lines around his eyes and across his forehead had turned into deep grooves. If it hadn't been for the steady beep of the heart monitor, she would have believed he was dead.

"Daddy!" Chloe flew to his side in an instant and grabbed his hand, relieved when she felt warmth radiating from his palm to hers. "Daddy," she said again quietly.

Gabe turned his head towards her voice, still half asleep and grumbled under his breath. "What's wrong, sweetheart?"

Just as Chloe choked out a sob, her dad's eyes flew open and his grip on her hand tightened painfully, as if he was afraid she'd disappear if he didn't hold on.

"Chloe?" His voice was raspy but she could still hear the desperation in his tone. "Are you really…"

"Ssh, I'm here dad. I'm really here." She squeezed his fingers and lifted her other hand to gently stroke his hair back. Obviously, nobody had bothered combing it in days.

"Where?" He couldn't say anymore, but his eyes asked a million questions as they flitted all over her face, drinking her in.

The dam broke and Chloe's face crumbled as tears started to stream down her cheeks. "I'm so sorry, daddy. I'm sorry. I never should have left, I'm so sorry."

She buried her face in her dad's shoulder and only cried harder when she felt his hand stroke soothingly over her hair, just like he'd done when she was a small child. She had no idea what she'd done right to deserve that kind of love.

"You colored your hair," Gabe croaked out. "Looks nice."

Chloe couldn't help it, she laughed between sobs and shook her head. "I missed you so much. I'm so…so..."

Gabe made hushing noises at her and pressed his lips to the crown of her head, inhaling deeply. "Missed you more," he whispered fiercely.

Clark cleared his throat uncomfortably from behind them. "I'll wait outside."

Chloe rolled her eyes at the unnecessary statement. At this moment, she couldn't care less where Clark went. All she needed was to be with her dad and make sure he would be alright.

They both heard the click as the door closed behind Clark, but neither of them looked away from the other to watch him leave.

"Where have you been?" Gabe whispered hoarsely.

Chloe wiped a hand over her cheeks and sat back with a sniffle. "It's a long story."

Gabe grabbed her hand again and looked at her sternly. "I'm not going anywhere."

Chloe nodded and squeezed his hand reassuringly. It was time she told her dad everything.

She didn't know how much time passed as she relayed everything that had happened between her and Lex and what happened after she left her husband. She was glad that her dad listened quietly and didn't ask any questions, letting her get everything out of her system even if it was a jumbled mess when she couldn't seem to get her thoughts straight.

Both of them jumped when there was a knock on the door before they saw Clark's worried face peek around the corner.

"Chloe, I think we should go." He sounded worried and a little nervous.

"Why?" She checked her watch. "Visiting hours isn't over for another half-hour."

Clark sighed deeply. "Lex is on his way up."

"Shit!" Chloe jumped up from her chair and was ready to make a run for it, but Gabe held on tight to her hand.

"You're coming back, right?" Gabe looked at her pleadingly and tightened his hold even more.

The look on his face broke Chloe's heart. "I promise, I'm not leaving you again," she vowed from the bottom of her heart. "But I have to go. I'm not ready to deal with Alexander yet."

Gabe nodded in understanding, but the desperation in his eyes didn't fade. "I love you."

"I love you too, daddy." Chloe leaned forward again to press a kiss to his forehead, promising to herself that she would come back as soon as she could.

Clark cleared his throat loudly. "We really have to go now. He's already in the elevator."

Chloe nodded shakily and tore herself away from her father. "I'll be back, I promise." She looked her dad straight in the eye as she walked backwards towards the door.

Clark grabbed her by the arm and ushered her out of the room, quickly closing the door behind them. "This way."

They were halfway toward the stairs when the elevator doors slid open. Chloe's heart had just enough time to skip a beat before the world blurred around her. When things came back into focus, she was standing pressed up against Clark behind a corner, looking at the back of her ex-husband as he walked down the hallway towards Gabe's room.

She swallowed heavily, unable to tear her eyes away from the sight in front of her. He was more than thirty feet away from her, but when he turned to enter Gabe's room she couldn't believe what she saw when she got a good look at his profile.

Lex Luthor looked like hell warmed over. While he had always been pale, his complexion now looked like that of a ghost and the dark circles under his eyes spoke of many sleepless nights. His cheekbones had always been prominent but now they looked like sharp edges over his sunken cheeks. His poise was confident as always, but there was no swagger in his steps and his motions looked almost mechanical as he raised his head and opened the door to step into her father's room.

Chloe didn't realize she was clutching tightly to Clark's shirt until he pried her fist off it and smoothed his thumb over her cramped fingers, holding her hand gently.

"It's time to go," he said quietly.

Chloe nodded mechanically, still staring at the space that Lex had just vacated. She couldn't believe what she had just seen with her own eyes.

"Take me to Lois?" she requested absentmindedly with a deep frown still etched into her features.


	23. My Way or the Highway

**Chapter 23 ~ My Way or the Highway**

After his visit with Gabe, Lex found himself somewhat disturbed. He couldn't put his finger on exactly what was different, but it left him with a cold, unsettling feeling in the pit of his stomach that refused to go away.

For the first time since Chloe had left, Gabe had not asked about her. In fact, he hadn't even mentioned her at all. The man's welcome had been cooler than usual as well, with only a slight nod and a long hard look up and down Lex's appearance before he'd told him that he looked like crap. Lex chalked it up to the fact that Gabe had just gone through a life-threatening scare, but it still didn't sit right with him. He would have to find out what was going on with Gabe later.

Right now, he had bigger fish to fry.

He walked into the 7pm meeting with his legal department, ready to sit through an hour or two of arrogant preening about the latest lawsuit against one of the many LexCorp medical subsidiaries. Apparently, some cancer support group had managed to put together a class action against it, regarding the human trials of a new compound drug that had been developed to specifically target pancreatic cancer.

Thirty minutes into the meeting Lex had mostly zoned out on the droning voice of the head of his legal staff. The man had spent the first twenty minutes on exposition that really wasn't necessary when all Lex was interested in was the numbers.

"We have nothing to worry about. Their lawyer is a bleeding-heart do-gooder who is in way over his head. We can tie them up in litigation for a decade before this ever actually hits the stand."

Lex made a humming noise to feign interest but otherwise paid no attention to the wall of text spilling from the man's mouth.

"All they really have is the testimony of about thirty family members, alleging that their loved ones died as a result of taking the drug, but considering all of them had end-stage pancreatic cancer that really won't hold up against professional medical testimony from our experts."

Hearing an actual number for the first time snapped Lex out of his reverie. "Come again?"

The lawyer gave him an arch look over his gold-rimmed spectacles, but repeated himself non-the-less. "They have thirty witnesses, alleging that their family members died as a result of the trial of the drug."

"Thirty," Lex repeated thoughtfully, running a finger over his brow. "How many participants in the study?"

The lawyer blinked, perplexed by the question, and consulted his notes. "It was the first human trial, a double-blind study with two-hundred participants. Fifty percent were given a placebo, the other fifty percent the actual drug."

Lex's brain automatically switched to do the arithmetic. "How many confirmed deaths," he asked coldly.

The lawyer swallowed and cleared his throat. "Forty-two."

Lex narrowed his eyes. "How many were taking the placebo?"

"Sir, the purpose of a double-blind study is to keep both the scientists and the participants…"

Lex cut him off, impatient for an answer and knowing better than to buy the official statement bullshit. "How many were taking the placebo?" he repeated threateningly, pinning the lawyer down with his glare.

The man licked his lips and looked back down at his notes. "None of them."

Lex froze. His mind conjured up the image of one of the articles that Lois Lane had bombarded him with a couple of months ago; the same story, a different drug. This time the failure rate was even higher.

"Forty-two out of one-hundred." He felt a chill crawl up his spine as he tried to absorb the fact that something his scientists had created had killed forty-two percent of the people involved in this study. He was ultimately responsible for killing forty-two people.

For the first time in a long time, Lex Luthor felt physically sick to his stomach.

He swallowed the bile rising in his throat and closed his eyes. An image of Chloe's disappointed face burned through his mind. The sound of metal touching wood rang with deafening clarity in his ears as he watched her place her wedding band on the table.

His eyes snapped open and he sucked in a shocked breath. "Settle the lawsuit."

"What?" The chief of staff's dumbfounded question barely rose over the din of the entire group of lawyers starting to mutter in surprise and disbelief.

"Settle," Lex said decisively, getting up from his chair. "Give those families whatever they want and include the forbearance on any future drug trials until we can figure out what caused the deaths."

"Sir, I don't think you understand," the head of legal began to protest, licking his lips nervously.

"Oh, I understand perfectly." Lex snarled under his breath as he leaned over the table, bracing his hands on the flat surface and getting right in the other man's face. "Do it. Or you can leave this room and find yourself another job immediately."

The lawyer's mouth wobbled as he looked up at Lex with a mixture of fear and confusion.

"Understood, sir," he said finally. "The papers will be ready by tomorrow morning."

Lex nodded curtly and rapped his knuckles on the desk before he stepped back and turned around to leave the room.

"This meeting is over."


	24. The More Things Change

**Chapter 24 ~ The More Things Change…**

After Clark dropped her off on the roof of Lois' apartment building, Chloe entered through the fire safety door and made her way down the stairs to the fifteenth floor where her cousin's apartment was located.

She squared her shoulders before she knocked on the door, not sure how Lois would react to seeing her again after so long.

The chain rattled and a second later the door flew open and she was caught in a crushing hug by the slightly taller brunette who was talking a mile a minute.

"Chloe, oh my god, you're actually here. I've been trying to call you like crazy and then I couldn't even reach Dan, so I had to actually Google him." Her words were tumbling over each other in her haste and her arms were squeezing Chloe tightly at the same time as she pulled her into the apartment.

"Why didn't you tell me you worked for a friggin tabloid? And do you know how much wrangling it took to get your editor to tell me that you were both on vacation?" Lois pulled back just enough to stare at Chloe's face.

"Vacation? Does that make any sense? I was going insane trying to figure out how to reach you. Uncle Gabe's in the hospital." Lois shook her head and looked at Chloe again, scanning her frantically with her eyes as she kept up the non-stop babble.

"But you already knew that. Why else would you be here? But how did you know that? Did you get my messages?" She shook her head again. "Have you been to the hospital yet? Urgh, what am I saying, you probably just got here. But how did you get here so fast? I thought they'd decommissioned the Concord."

"Lois, breathe!" Chloe finally yelled over her cousin's rant and grabbed her arms to shake her out of it.

"Right." Lois sucked in a breath and huffed it out. "Right." She dropped her arms and went to close the door that she'd left wide open.

Chloe shook her head and chuckled under her breath. "Is there any chance I can get some coffee?"

Lois turned around and leaned her back against the door, starting at Chloe for a long moment as if she couldn't really believe her cousin was actually there. "Yeah, I'll make us some," she finally said. "And boy do I need a cigarette."

Chloe wrinkled her nose at that. "Disgusting habit," she said admonishingly

Lois snorted. "Suck it up, cous', because I don't think I'll be able to quit any time soon."

Chloe watched her disappear into the small kitchen and ventured further into the living room. Everything still looked exactly like the last time she'd seen it. "I see you didn't really do anything new with the place."

"Are you kidding?" Lois came back out with a lit cigarette in her hand, blowing smoke out of her mouth. "I changed a lot. There's a new lamp over there. I've actually got plants now." She pointed at a sad, withered looking fern in the window. "The throw pillows are new." She paused as she looked around the room trying to point out other things.

Chloe nearly jumped out of her skin when something jumped up behind her onto the dining room table.

"Oh, and I have a cat now." Lois smiled as she moved over to pet the grey animal with big yellow eyes that was staring at Chloe with unveiled suspicion. "Chloe, meet Jinx. Jinx, this is Chloe."

Jinx slitted his eyes and purred happily, pushing his head into Lois' petting hand.

"I thought you didn't like animals," Chloe said slowly.

"It's a long story," Lois said vaguely with a cryptic shrug.

The silence that followed didn't last long before Lois spoke again. "So, did you go see Uncle Gabe yet?"

Chloe nodded. "Yeah, I came here from the hospital. Clark dropped me off."

"Clark?" Lois sounded almost accusing. "You call him before you call me?" She snapped her mouth shut. "No, you know what, it's smarter. I think Luthor is having me tailed twenty-four hours a day." She sucked on her cigarette and blew the smoke out nervously as she moved to look out the tall window behind the couch.

"He might already know you're here." Lois frowned as she checked for the 'inconspicuous' van of the day that regularly parked just on the opposite side of the street in front of her building.

"Don't worry about that, unless they've got surveillance in the air, they wouldn't have seen me," Chloe said without thinking.

Lois whipped around immediately. "What? I thought you said Clark dropped you off here?" She arched a very suspicious brow and gave Chloe a long look.

"It's a long story," Chloe said vaguely with a cryptic shrug.

"Boy, do we have to talk." Lois inhaled deeply from her cigarette one more time before she snuffed it out in the ashtray on the dining room table. "I'm going to get us that coffee." She pinned Chloe with her steel-blue gaze. "Still take two sugars?"

Chloe nodded. "And a spot of cream these days."

Lois snorted. "A spot of cream? You've clearly spent too much time in Britain."

Chloe chuckled. "Ask anyone over there, and they'll say I haven't spent enough."

They talked for hours, only interrupting their conversation to refill their coffee mugs or go to the bathroom. Lois confessed that she'd only kept the cat because Superman had asked her to after he rescued them both from a burning building. Chloe confessed that Superman was actually Clark Kent and that she had known since high school but hadn't been able to tell anyone for fear of putting people in danger. Lois took the news pretty well, all things considered. Of course, that didn't mean there wouldn't be hell to pay when she saw Clark the next time. Especially, since she had so profusely embarrassed herself by gushing over Superman right in front of Clark on multiple occasions.

"I'm going to kill him," Lois said decisively for the third or fourth time.

"That's not why I told you about the kryptonite," Chloe said sternly but with a smile twitching at her lips.

"Fine, I'm not going to actually kill him, but I'm going to make him rue the day he was born."

Chloe chuckled. "And after that, are you finally going to ask him out on a date?"

Lois glared at her and took a sip of her umpteenth cup of coffee. She tapped her nail against the large mug and looked calculatingly out the window. "Maybe."

Chloe chuckled again and shook her head. She looked at the clock on the wall and noticed that it was already getting pretty late. "Uhm, I hate that I have to ask, but would it be okay if I stay here tonight?"

Lois blinked and set her mug down with a confused expression. "Of course you're staying here tonight. Where the hell else would you go?"

Chloe smirked. "I do have money and credit cards, Lois. I could always go to a hotel."

"Nonsense," Lois cut her off. "You're staying here, where I can keep an eye on you."

Chloe laughed. "Way to make me feel at ease, Lois."

Lois snorted and waved her free hand. "Oh, you know what I mean. Besides, it's the best place to be because as long as you use the Superman shuttle service, no one will ever know you're here."

Chloe couldn't help but giggle at Lois' easy dismissal of Clark as nothing but a super-human shuttle service. She was sure her friend would not like it one bit if he heard, and that Lois would have no qualms about saying it to his face.

"You're right. Plus, you get the opportunity to make his life miserable when I call him over tomorrow to take me to the hospital."

Lois frowned suddenly and looked out the window, grabbing for her pack of cigarettes out of habit. "I don't think that's such a good idea, Chloe."

"What do you mean?" Chloe wasn't quite sure what Lois was talking about.

"If you want to stay under the radar, going back to the hospital might not be an option." Lois lit up a cigarette and inhaled deeply on her first drag. "If Lex has me tailed twenty-four seven on the off chance I'll give away where you are, you can bet your ass he's going to have detail on Gabe to make sure they immediately alert him, or worse, in case you show up."

Lois took another drag from her cigarette and exhaled the smoke through her nose like an angry dragon. "The only reason you got away this time would be because Lex just found out."

The truth of that statement hit Chloe like a ton of bricks. "Damn it!" She smacked her fist on the table, making the mugs and ashtray rattle from the force.

Whether he knew it or not, Alexander was once again responsible for keeping her away from the people she loved.

"You'll have to go in my place," Chloe said fiercely. "I'll give you a letter, explain to dad. I'm not going to let him think for a second that I abandoned him again."

"Of course not," Lois smiled reassuringly. "But we can think about all that tomorrow after breakfast." She cocked her head to the side and looked at her cousin for a long moment. "You look like shit, and you really need to get some sleep."

Chloe snorted. "No kidding, I've been up for…" She trailed off as she looked at the face of her wrist watch. It was still on London time, showing almost four in the morning. "Twenty-two hours, give or take."

Lois nodded decisively and snuffed out her cigarette. "It's definitely bedtime for you. Come on, let's go." She got up from the table and held her hand out to Chloe.

Chloe grabbed the proffered hand gratefully and dragged herself out of her chair. Now that the adrenaline had completely worn off, she'd be lucky to make it to the bed before she crashed.


	25. Finally Understand

**Chapter 25 ~ Finally Understand**

Lex stared morosely into the unlit fireplace, trying to retrace the steps that had led to the reckless decision he'd made at the meeting about five hours ago. It was a little after midnight now and he was already six drinks into a fresh bottle of scotch.

It was all her fault, really. She'd messed with his mind. A sensible businessman would never have made the decision to settle a lawsuit in a fashion that stood to cost him dearly and create losses in the millions, if not billions when viewed in the context of future projects.

But then why wasn't he pulling out his phone to wake up his lawyer, make him stop the settlement, and proceed with the lawsuit as planned?

In the end, the answer was remarkably simple. He had finally figured out who this mysterious man was; this other Lex, whom Chloe loved more than her life.

He was the guy that would grant an interview to a high school kid, because a friend asked him to. He was the green behind the ears business man that would buy an underproductive plant to save a handful of small-town employees from losing their jobs. He was the wanna-do-good guy that got into business with a college freshman so she could save her dead parents' favorite hang-out spot and turn it into a tacky coffee-shop for the local youth that barely turned enough profit to stay afloat. He was the guy that had his best friend lie to his face, over and over again, and still covered up the other boy's secrets to protect him and prevent him from being exposed. He was Lex Luthor before his father's empire shaped him into the man that sat staring into an unlit fireplace today.

The irony of it all made him chuckle out loud and shake his head at himself. Lex had strived so hard to be a great man, the greatest man he could be for her. And here she had loved the one that he considered a loser all along.

His chuckle turned into a throaty, broken laugh as he kept shaking his head. He didn't realize that tears had started to stream out of the corners of his eyes until his cheeks felt wet when he wiped a hand over his face to cover his mouth.

Lex didn't realize how long he sat there, staring into the unlit fireplace until he noticed the sun come up over the horizon and tint everything around him in a warm orange glow. By the time the entire living room was flooded with sunlight, he had finally come to terms with what he needed to do.

He got up slowly and walked over to the large panorama window to look out over the city, taking stock of every building that was owned by LexCorp, every car that was manufactured by a subsidiary of LexCorp, every utility vehicle and service truck that had the LexCorp logo stamped onto it in bold purple color.

Even though he'd never consciously thought about it before, it was now blatantly obvious.

Lex Luthor owned the city of Metropolis.

And now it was time to give it all back.


	26. Hide and Seek (Whatcha Say?)

**Chapter 26 ~ Hide and Seek (Whatcha Say?) **

Chloe waited anxiously by the window for Lois to get back from the hospital. This was the third time she had sent her cousin with a letter for Gabe, to make sure her father knew she wouldn't abandon him again.

The whole thing was silly, really. Lois hadn't even been able to show any evidence that Lex was tailing Gabe or that there was any reason for Chloe to hide out in Lois' apartment instead of visiting her father. She'd been cooped up in this place for almost a week now.

She paced from the window to the kitchen to grab a glass of water and back to the window again. The 'inconspicuous van of the day', as Lois had dubbed the covert surveillance unit, was still parked on the other side of the street. It was a flower-delivery van today. Not really inconspicuous, considering it had been there since eight in the morning and yet not a single bouquet had been delivered. But two different guys had left the vehicle so far and returned with coffee and donuts from the shop around the corner.

Chloe shook her head and wondered why it was taken Lois so long. She had promised to go straight to the hospital after checking in with her boss and come back before the afternoon soaps started on TV.

"Come on, Lo." Chloe pursed her lips and tapped her glass nervously with one finger.

When Jinx hopped up onto the windowsill in front of her, Chloe didn't even flinch. She started scratching the back of his head and the big grey cat purred happily as he plopped his butt down, balancing precariously on the slim white board.

"Your mommy should have been home by now. Do you know what's taking her so long, Jinxy?"

Jinx meowed plaintively and hopped back down from the windowsill, heading towards the kitchen where his food bowl was.

"Yeah, I'm getting hungry too." Chloe sighed and followed the feline into the kitchen.

She poured a small bit of dry food into his bowl as he slunk around her legs in figure eights. With another sigh, she shrugged and dumped more food in. "No point in waiting til mommy gets home. I say we have dinner now and Lois can fend for herself when she gets back."

Chloe didn't think too much about what it meant for her sanity that she was having a one-sided conversation with someone else's pet.

She was halfway through her dish of canned ravioli when the front door opened and slammed shut in the wake of a Lois' shaped tornado blowing through the apartment.

"Chloe, you won't believe this!" Lois kicked off her shoes, sending them flying in opposite directions. "I just came back from a press-conference at the Plaza and guess who was holding it." Her shoulder-bag and coat landed on the dinner table as Lois breezed by her into the kitchen. "What's for dinner? Oh, never mind, I don't think I could eat anything anyway."

A minute later Lois came back out, holding the tin of left over cherry pie in one hand and a fork in the other.

"Lex called a surprise press-conference today and announced to all and sundry that he settled a multi-million dollar class action lawsuit in favor of the plaintiffs and ordered a cease and desist on all human trials of current LexCorp produced drugs, effective immediately." Lois announced grandly, waving her fork around in the air before she stabbed the pie with it.

Chloe's fork dropped to her plate as she stared at Lois openmouthed. "What?"

"Uh huh," Lois mumbled around a mouthful of pie, "That's what I said."

"Why?" Chloe was still in shock from the announcement, her mind reeling to try to come up with a reasonable explanation for this incredible news.

Lois swallowed the morsel in her mouth and sucked the crumbs off her teeth. "I asked him that too. Took a full minute before everybody settled down enough that I could actually be heard."

Chloe didn't say anything. She wanted to shake Lois to make her stop stalling. She needed to know what had happened. Lex was settling a lawsuit and effectively shutting down a huge chunk of his corporation? Why? Why now?

Lois was still gesturing wildly with her fork. "So, I got up and asked him. Does your decision to settle this lawsuit have anything to do with your recent divorce from Chloe Sullivan?"

Chloe cringed. She knew that her cousin had a knack to go for the jugular, but it still shocked her to hear Lois speak so bluntly about the biggest failure of her life.

"He looked like he was going to jump over the podium and murder me." Lois chuckled to herself. "But, he did answer the question."

Chloe swallowed thickly. "What did he say?"

"Hold on, this one's too good to muck up the quote." Lois jumped up from her chair and grabbed her bag, rifling around inside it until she fished out her tape recorder. "Listen to this."

She rewound the tape for a few seconds and then played it back.

A tinny version of Lois' voice filled the silence. _"…thing to do with your recent divorce from Chloe Sullivan?" _

The din of dozens of reporters accompanied the crackle of the tape recorder.

_"The decision to settle this lawsuit was a personal one. However, if you are implying that I am staging all or part of this solely for the benefit of my estranged wife, Chloe Luthor, you are mistaken. I have looked into the matter carefully and contemplated my options regarding this lawsuit and I have made the decision that is best for the people involved in it." _

Chloe held her breath as she listened to Lex's response.

Lois was so excited she was shaking the whole table with her jittering legs. "This is the best part," she said quickly in a hushed voice as the reporters drowned out Lex's response with rapid-fire questions until Lex's next statement quieted them again.

_"I admit that, while I have gained major victories in business over the years I have incurred great losses on a personal level. My decisions have not always been led by what is best for the people, but instead were motivated by what was best for the company. Starting today - beginning with this settlement - that is going to change. I am turning over a new leaf and I intend to prove to this city, and to myself, that Lex Luthor cannot only be a great man, but that he can be a good man." _

Lois turned off the tape recorder. "And then he just ended the conference and walked right out as if he wasn't leaving behind a room full of totally confused journalists."

Chloe blinked slowly and mechanically got up from her chair. She was still trying to wrap her mind around what she had just heard. Could it be true? Could Lex really be trying to change? She had to stop herself right there. This was Alexander she was dealing with. The man lived on ulterior motives. Nothing was ever simple and straight forward.

She stepped in front of the window and looked down at the surveillance van to remind herself of reality. Alexander still had people trail her cousin and watch over her apartment 24/7 to report back if there was any chance she might have contact with Chloe.

Her brain refused to believe in what her eyes were seeing when the van pulled away from the curb and drove off down the street. It was probably just leaving to be replaced with another van for the next shift.

Lois stepped up behind her and placed one hand on her shoulder. "Are you okay?"

Chloe blinked and crossed her arms over her chest. She felt strange. "The van's gone," she said dully.

"What?" Lois looked out the window and whistled through her teeth. "Oh, it must be shift change time." She looked at her wrist watch and frowned. "Except, it's not seven pm yet. Huh. I bet Lex won't be happy when he finds out his crew is slacking."

Chloe furrowed her brows and wrapped her arms tighter around herself. "Yeah, slackers." She had a funny feeling in her gut that no other van would show up to replace this one.

"What's your game now, Alexander?" she asked under her breath, stroking her thumb over the base of her ring finger where her wedding band used to be.

A hard pinch to her upper arm pulled Chloe out of her thoughts with a painful yelp.

"Stop that, you're creeping me out." Lois rubbed the spot she'd just pinched. "Now, come on. No sense trying to figure out what he's up to. We'll find out soon enough. For now, can't we just enjoy the sight of the mighty falling? Maybe gloat a little when LexCorp stock plummets through the floor tomorrow?"

Chloe laughed mirthlessly and shook her head. "I think you're enjoying this enough for the both of us."


	27. Fight the Good Fight

**Chapter 27 ~ Fight the Good Fight**

Lex squared his shoulders and knocked on the door three times before he opened it. He was surprised to find Gabe up and out of bed, dressed in jeans and a button down shirt.

"I thought you weren't going to be released until next week," he said in lieu of a greeting.

Gabe zipped up a small duffelbag and picked it up before he turned around. "I signed the voluntary discharge forms about thirty minutes ago. The bills are already going to be tremendous and there is really no point in hanging around."

Lex shook his head and stepped closer. "Gabe, you know you don't have to worry about the money. If that's the only reason you're not staying, please…"

Gabe held up a hand to interrupt him. "I feel fine," he emphasized the last word. "The doctor has already said there is nothing else he can do for me, and I really don't feel like being cooped up in here, unable to go anywhere or do anything."

Lex furrowed his brows in confusion. Gabe had retired a couple of years ago, there was no-one and nothing waiting for him when he got home, and the old man had not complained once about the prospect of staying in hospital care for a couple of weeks when he was first brought in. He obviously didn't have to worry about the financial aspect of things either. So, why all of a sudden was it so important to be released immediately?

Unless, there was somebody he wanted to see. Somebody whom he assumed he wouldn't be able to see as long as he was in the hospital where it was easy to keep tabs on anyone's comings and goings via security cameras and personnel.

"She's back," Lex stated definitively, pinning Gabe with a hard look. "Isn't she?"

Gabe looked away uncomfortably and hoisted the duffelbag over his shoulder. He had never been a good liar. Then he squared his shoulders and looked Lex directly in the eyes.

"Yes, she's back. But she doesn't want to see you. So, I ask that you respect her wishes." Gabe's tone wasn't as cruel or cold as it could have been but he made it very clear that there would be no discussion on the subject and that he expected his demands would be met.

However, he still couldn't hide his surprise when Lex simply nodded and accepted the warning for what it was.

"I won't try to see her," Lex said quietly. "She knows where to find me." He smoothed a hand over the back of his head uncomfortably. "But if you could do me one favor, please?" He met his father-in-law's gaze without flinching. "Tell her I'm sorry."

Gabe pursed his lips and squared his jaw, looking at Lex for a long moment. Then he took a deep breath and released it in a short huff. "I could do that, but I won't."

Lex actually did a double-take in surprise, not believing that Gabe refused such a simple request.

"I'll tell you why," Gabe said smoothly. "If you really are sorry, then you are going to find a way to make it up to her, and if you do a good enough job at that, she might, just might give you a chance to apologize to her yourself."

With that, Gabe clapped him once on the shoulder and walked away, leaving Lex baffled and speechless alone in the hospital room.

His first thought was to call the surveillance team on Lois detail that he'd just released from duty last night. They could be back on the job within the hour. His hand was already around the cell phone before he paused.

Did knowing that she was back really change the decision that he had made yesterday? Would it do any good to spy on her? Lex had sworn to himself that he would turn over a new leaf. He had decided to let go and stop hunting Chloe. He would become the man that she wanted so that she would return to him of her own free will.

His thumb stroked over the smooth surface of his cell phone as he contemplated his options. He could send a smaller, more subtle surveillance team to keep tabs on both Lois and Gabe, now that he was out of the hospital. Or he could let it go and stay true to his promise.

He took a deep breath and pulled out his cell phone, dialing the familiar number by heart. "This is Luthor. The subject you've been surveying has just released himself from the hospital."

He closed his eyes as the man on the other end requested updated orders.

A part of him claimed it was the right decision to call off the dogs, but it was a very small part that had to defy years of being honed into the ruthless, unscrupulous business mogul in charge of his world and everyone in it.

He inhaled slowly and straightened his shoulders.

"No, that won't be necessary. Your services are no longer needed as of today. I will call you when I have another assignment."

Lex hung up the phone and stood very still for a moment.

It was only one small battle of many that he would have to fight with himself. There was no way to tell which side would ultimately win, but he felt that this time the right side had claimed a decisive victory.


	28. No More (Part 1)

**Chapter 28 ~ No More (Part 1)**

The rain splattered hard against the windows and for once Chloe was glad to be cooped up inside the apartment. She wouldn't send a dog out in this kind of weather. Her hand absently patted Jinx's soft fur as she stared at the TV screen, not really paying attention to the weekly drama marathon going on. She knew all the episodes anyway.

"If you're not going to pay attention, you might as well change the channel. Househunters starts in about a minute and it's a new one." Lois plopped down next to her with all the grace of an elephant.

Jinx raised his back in disgruntlement and glared at his 'mommy' for upsetting his comfortable position before he jumped off the couch.

"Now look what you did," Chloe admonished her cousin with a sigh.

"Eh, he'll get over it." Lois shrugged and used the empty space to set down the large bowl of popcorn she'd brought with her. "Nasty weather out there," she said as she dug in for a handful.

"Yeah." Chloe shivered a little. "I'm glad you took the day off. Nobody should be out in that kind of storm."

Lois snorted. "I bet I know at least one person who's out there anyway."

Chloe knew exactly who she was talking about. "Clark."

"Bastard couldn't even shirk his duties for one little date." Lois wrinkled her nose. "I hope he gets a wet wedgie out there."

Chloe snickered. "Come on, you can't still be mad about that."

"Oh, I can be mad. I can be very mad for as long as I want." Lois stuffed a large handful of kernels in her mouth and chewed on them viciously.

"It was a multi-car accident. There was a school bus involved for crying out loud!" Chloe felt like she at least should make an effort to defend Clark for doing his duty as Superman.

"Yeah, and there were also fifteen police cars, seven EMTs and three fire trucks. They could have handled things just fine." Lois grabbed the remote with her free hand and switched the channel. "It's not like they really needed him to pry the doors open. That's what the 'jaws of life' are for." When she noticed the flabbergasted look on Chloe's face, she sighed. "Just sayin'."

"Even if the officials could have handled it, you can't seriously be mad at Clark for doing something that's the very reason you got a crush on Superman in the first place!"

"Yes, I can because, now, I'm dating him. Before, I was just admiring him from afar."

"You're such a hypocrite." Chloe shook her head and reached into the bowl for some popcorn.

"Whatever." Lois shrugged and turned up the volume on the TV. "Oh! They're in Florida. I'm going to love hating this." She grinned widely. "Urgh, look at the tile!"

Chloe couldn't help but laugh at her cousin. If you didn't know better, you would think Lois was the shallowest person to walk this earth. It was only once you looked a little closer that the soft and squishy parts of her came to light.

The doorbell pulled both of them out of the engrossing world of terrible houses before the prospective buyers could make their final choice.

"I got it," Chloe said as she got up from the couch.

"Uh huh." Lois waved her away, instantly re-absorbed by the show.

Chloe shook her head and jogged to the front door, not even bothering to look through the spy before she answered it.

On the other side was a completely unexpected sight to behold. Dan Simmons was dripping wet from head to toe and looked like he was ready to murder someone.

"Ye're alive, thank God!" He brushed past her, leaving a wet trail on the carpet. "What the bleedin' 'ell took you so long?"

Chloe didn't get a word in edgewise as she watched him tromp straight into the half-bath and drop his drenched coat.

"Because o' you, I'm drownin' in m' bloody clothes 'ere an' you don' e'n ha' the dec'ncy t'be dead in a bloody ditch." He glared at her as he wiped his soggy hair out of his eyes. "Really, d'you not remembe' how t'use a bloody phone, you silly cow?"

The excessive British cursing must have attracted Lois' attention, because she was suddenly right behind Chloe, inspecting the tall stranger dropping his clothes all over her guest bathroom.

"Uhm, that's Dan, right? Because if it's not I think I should call the police."

"Bollocks!" Dan dropped his waterlogged cell phone in the sink and turned around. "Sorry, where're my manners?" He reached out his hand to shake Lois'. "Dan Simmons, pleasure to meet you. Don't mind if I kill your cousin."

"Actually, she does." Chloe interjected, finding her voice for the first time now that she got over the shock of having her co-worker show up unexpectedly on her cousin's doorstep. "What are you doing here?"

"What 'm I doin'ere?" Dan whirled around and threw his arms up in disbelief. "I was worried sick about you."

"Why? I called you before I left." Chloe really didn't understand what the big deal was. She also wondered how Dan had found her, considering she'd never really told him where exactly her cousin lived.

"Three bloody weeks ago!" He wiped his hair out of his face again and turned to Lois. "Could I bothe' you fer'a towel?"

Lois bit down on a snicker. "With that accent, you can bother me for just about anything," she said with a purr.

"I'll remembe'tha'," Dan purred back.

The whole exchange made Chloe squeamish. She smacked Dan in the shoulder to get his attention. "Focus!"

Dan rounded back on her. "Ow! What's wrong with you? Three weeks ago you call me in the middle o' the night an' tell me you've got to go back to Metropolis because your da' had a heart attack and then poof." He made a vague hand gesture to illustrate his point. "No phone calls, no e-mails. It's like you've bloody disappeared of the face of the planet."

Chloe rolled her eyes at Dan's dramatic antics. "You could have just called me, if you were so worried."

"You think I didn't try tha' first?" Dan grabbed the towel that Lois handed him and started to furiously rub his hair, his voice barely muffled by the thick cotton over his head. "When I tried your mobile it was out of service and I don't have your cousin's number, so I couldn't call her either." He rubbed a few more times then hung the towel around his neck to glare properly at Chloe. "And when's the last time you checked your bloody e-mails?"

That was the moment Chloe's brain chose to remember that she did have an e-mail account, which she hadn't checked since the day before she rode Clark-Airlines back to Metropolis.

"Crap." She knew she had 'guilty' written all over her face, and she suddenly felt a lot more understanding towards Dan's attitude.

"Yeah, crap is right," Dan said, grumpily, but he relaxed his rigid stance just a little bit. "After two weeks of that I thought for sure your ex had gotten to you."

"So, how did you find us?" Lois voiced the question before Chloe could formulate it herself.

"Google," Dan said, as if that one word explained everything. "Okay, Google and a few of my contacts at CNN, and a cute little red-head with a mouth like a sailor." He turned to Chloe with a grin and waggled his eyebrows before he said in a stage whisper, "Remind me to give that one a call tomorrow."

Chloe shook her head and threw her hands up in surrender. "Of course."

She stepped back and turned around to walk towards the kitchen. "Lois, can you find him a shirt? I'll go and make us some tea."

A half hour later they were all gathered around the dining room table, catching each other up on the past three weeks.

"So," Dan said slowly, "He's up to some sort of nefarious scheme that somehow involves selling the better part of his company?" He looked at Chloe with scrunched brows and a doubtful sneer on his lips. "That makes no sense."

"I know!" Chloe yelled defensively. "Don't you think I know that? I've been trying to figure out what his game is ever since he pulled the surveillance teams off Lois and my Dad, but nothing he's done since then makes any sense."

Dan shrugged and sunk a little deeper into his chair. "Not to play devil's advocate or anything, but…" He looked up from under his fringe. "You don't suppose there's a chance that he's actually come 'round to realize the error of his ways?"

Lois looked away uncomfortably, taking a drag from her umpteenth cigarette. She and Chloe had been over this possibility countless times in the past week. At this point, they were just going around in circles. "I'm gonna go make another pot of coffee."

She got up and went to the kitchen, leaving the two alone at the dining table.

Chloe looked after Lois with a sigh. She couldn't blame her cousin for wanting out of this conversation.

"I just don't know," she responded to Dan's question. "Part of me wants to think that he's changed, but after all this time, it's just hard to believe."

Dan nodded. "So you're stuck."

Chloe scrunched up her face in annoyance. "Yeah."

"And you're just going to keep hiding from him?" Dan asked with a raised eyebrow. "For the rest of your life?"

Chloe chewed on her bottom lip and wrinkled her nose. She didn't like that prospect any better than Dan's tone of voice made it sound.

That was what it came down to though, wasn't it? She could either take it on faith that Lex had changed, and go back to him, or she could keep hiding forever, never trusting that Alexander Luthor could truly change his ways.

"That doesn't sound like you at all, luv." Dan's voice was gentle but firm.

Chloe looked up slowly and met the gaze of her friend head on.

Dan was right. She wasn't the type to run and hide forever. She had retreated long enough and lived in worry of what might happen down the line and what she should or shouldn't do and how Alexander was going to react to it. Heck, she'd almost lost her Dad and would have not even been there because of her stupid inability to confront her ex-husband.

"You're right." She said slowly. "Screw it." She smacked her hand down on the table and got up. "No more hiding."

Lois came in from the kitchen just in time to hear Chloe's last comment and watch her stalk towards the bedroom. "Uhm, what just happened?"

Dan chuckled. "I think the proverbial penny just dropped and landed with a bang."


	29. No More (Part 2)

**Chapter 29 ~ No More (Part 2)**

Lex looked at the papers in front of him with a mixture of nausea and relief. Once his signature was on all of them his life would inevitably change completely and permanently. The board would not know what hit them. Of course, it would still take a few weeks before the changes went into effect and at that point nobody would be able to stop it. It was a well planned move, undetectable on the coat-tails of watching LexCorp stock plummet through the floor after his announcement of the settlement.

His hand started to shake around the pen in his grasp before its tip could connect with the paper. Lex exhaled slowly and dropped the pen. He pushed himself off the desk with a growl and stalked over to the liquor cabinet to pour a generous helping of scotch.

Was he really ready to do this? Could he really give up everything and not look back?

He downed the first glass and refilled it.

The waste disposal and electric generation facilities would be sold to the city come next week. The trucks would still flash the LexCorp logo for another year and he'd made sure that none of the employees would lose their job over this transaction.

He downed the second glass and refilled it again.

The phone and internet subsidiaries would be split up equally between the other providers that had vied to break the de facto monopoly of LexConnect in Metropolis and its surrounding area for years. The Pharma subsidiaries had already gone that way.

He looked at the drink in his hand, noticing for the first time that there was a chip in the glass.

Six months from now Lex Corp would effectively cease to exist. All he had to do was sign the papers on his desk.

He placed the glass down on the bar and turned around to face the papers.

The moment of truth had finally come.

The doors to his office flew open and a furious brunette wearing skinny jeans and a brightly colored peasant blouse stormed towards him.

Lex opened his mouth to demand an explanation just as the intercom on his desk buzzed and a split second before he realized who had just burst through his doors.

The moment their eyes locked everything came to a screeching halt. She stopped dead about three steps away from his desk and his hand was frozen about an inch away from the button for the intercom. Neither of them moved, unable to believe they were actually looking at the other.

Lex was the first to move, mechanically pushing the button for the intercom.

"Sir, Mrs. L… your ex… your wi…" Clearly the secretary had no idea how to announce the person that was looking at him with cold hazel eyes.

Lex arched an eyebrow at Chloe, not moving his eyes away from her. "I gathered as much." With that he pushed the intercom button again.

Hearing him speak broke the spell and Chloe lurched into action with a stumbling step forward. "It's not going to work."

Lex blinked in confusion. He hadn't known what he had expected to hear from her when they finally saw each other again, but that was not on the top ten list of things he imagined she would say first.

"I beg your pardon?" he said calmly.

Chloe licked her lips and balled her hands into fists at her side. "I don't know what game you're playing now, but it's not going to work."

"Chloe, I'm not…"

"Spare me." She held up a hand and shook her head. "This is over." She pointed a finger back and forth between them. "No more games, no more hiding. I'm done with that. Do whatever you want, but know that no scheme, no game plan, not a single one of the machinations you can dream up will work. I won't fall for it."

Reflex made him straighten his spine and jut his chin out as he looked down his nose at her. "I have no idea what you're talking about."

The flash of pain across her face made him realize what a bad choice of words that had been. The instant reaction with the practiced dismissal; it was no wonder she didn't believe him.

"That didn't come out right. I'm sorry, I…"

Chloe cut him off again, already taking a step back. "Don't bother. I know exactly what you meant."

He knew her better than she knew herself, so it was easy to tell that her bravado was as instinctive and as fake as his automatic dismissal of any accusation thrown in his face.

She nodded once and turned around. "I'll be leaving Metropolis in a couple of days. You won't see me again."

Lex was rooted to the spot as Chloe walked away from him, once again. Just like the last time, he was unable to do anything but watch her leave. And just like the last time, she stopped with her hand on the door handle.

"For what it's worth," she said slowly, looking over her shoulder. "I wish you the best."

She opened the door and was almost gone when his mouth finally decided to work and say something.

"Where are you going?" he asked quickly before she could leave.

She turned around and looked at him calculatingly. Her eyes traveled up and down his body as she kept her hand on the door handle, ready to leave.

Lex watched her silently, holding his breath. He could tell she was trying to decide whether to tell him the truth or not and it hurt. There had been a time when trust between them was as easy as breathing.

"Never mind," he said before she made up her mind. "I'd rather you didn't tell me. That way you won't have to lie."

Lex smirked self-deprecatingly as he realized how much he had destroyed over the past few years. "I really screwed up, didn't I?"

Chloe straightened her shoulders and took a deep breath. "What do you expect me to say to that, Alexander?"

The use of his full name made him flinch. She had started doing that shortly before she left him. He'd never figured out why.

Lex didn't know what to say. He wasn't sure what he expected. He had never expected her to just storm into his office in the first place.

"Alexander the Great, speechless." Chloe chuckled. "I never thought I'd see the day."

Suddenly, her use of his full name made all the sense in the world. However, the look on her face and the tone of her voice took every last bit of pleasure out of the fact that she was comparing him to the greatest man in history. Alexander the Great may have conquered the world, but the price of victory had been steep.

Chloe's eyes roamed over him once again, as if she was trying to memorize him. Then she shook her head and opened the door with a swift movement. "Goodbye, Alexander." The door closed behind her with a low click.

Lex heard the echo of her footsteps as she walked down the hallway to the elevator. It was slow and steady until it faded to silence.

Lex was in a daze as he stood behind his desk and looked at the closed doors out of his office. His eyes fell slowly to the papers in front of him and the open pen that lay across them.

The decision was his, no one else's. There was nothing to gain from signing them. He would lose everything he'd ever worked for.

His eyes looked up to the closed door again and in his mind's eye he saw Chloe walk out of the mansion and get into a taxi cab that would take her away from him forever.

He had already lost everything anyway.

Shaking his head at his own stupidity, he picked up the pen and started to sign the papers.


	30. I've Been Loving You Too Long

A/N: After ten years and 30 chapters it is finally done. I just finished writing the very last chapter. It's been...f*ing forever! Now I can finally put the Smallville fandom to rest for good. I feel like I should be sadder about this. But it's been a long, slow, creeping death and it's finally over. So I'm relieved. It's not the best it could have been, but it is a good story with a little bit of hope for the road.

Thank you everyone that's been with me from start to finish!

**Chapter 30 ~ I've been loving you too long (to stop now)**

_2 Years Later_

The bullpen was buzzing with excitement over the latest rumors surrounding the royal family. Word on the street was the Duchess was pregnant. Even after all this time, Chloe still didn't quite get the relationship between the tabloids and the royal family. It was nothing like the animosity between the gossip rags in the US and the celebrities they hounded.

Her phone started ringing just as her editor yelled after her from the door to his office.

"I want you to get all the information you can. Is it true? How far along? Is it twins? Did she pick a name? Everything, you hear me!"

Chloe pulled her cell phone out of her pocket, even as she responded. "I got it! Sheesh, you're worse than old Mrs. Biggs." Chloe's elderly downstairs neighbor was the nosiest gossip she'd ever met in her life, but her editor definitely came in as a close second.

Ignoring her editor's pithy response, she hit the accept button and answered her phone, "Lance."

"You'll never guess what happened last night!" Lois' tone was vibrating with excitement.

Chloe chuckled and veered off towards the stairs instead of the elevator. "No, but I'm sure you'll tell me before I even get the chance to guess."

Lois proved her right. "Clark proposed!"

"Are you serious?" Chloe had not expected that. She lowered her voice to a murmur. "Did you use gold kryptonite to twist his arm?"

"Oh, screw you!" Her cousin's yell reverberated through the staircase. "Like I'd deprive the world of Superman just so I could get him down the aisle. What kind of a selfish bitch do you think I am?"

Chloe cringed, realizing that she might have gone a little too far with her banter. "Sorry. It was a bad joke. Seriously, though. I'm really happy for you. Congratulations."

Lois and Clark had been dating on and off for the past two years, and more on than off for the past year. It was still a surprise to hear that Clark had finally swallowed his 'world of cardboard' attitude and grown the confidence to get serious with Lois.

"That's better." Lois sniffed haughtily. "Thank you."

"So, when's the wedding?" Chloe asked as she skipped down the last couple of steps and pushed through the door into the foyer on the ground floor.

"Definitely in the spring. We haven't set a date yet, but I hope you know that you are expected to show up and wear mint-green taffeta as my matron of honor."

Chloe came to a screeching halt as her eyes widened in absolute terror. "You're kidding, right?" When she was greeted with silence from the other end of the line she dropped her voice to a threatening growl. "Lois, tell me that you're kidding, right now."

Lois snickered. "I wish I could have seen your face right then. Of course, I'm kidding. Taffeta is so eighties. Who does that anymore?"

Chloe breathed a sigh of relief and started walking again, headed for the revolving doors. "Okay, I'm glad to hear it. I'm a little too old to wear a terrible bridesmaid outfit."

She rolled her eyes at Lois' ongoing gleeful cackle. "Listen, Lois, I'm chasing a story, so I gotta go. I'll call you tomorrow?"

"Sounds good," Lois agreed. "Talk to you tomorrow. Bye."

"Kay, bye." Chloe hung up the phone just as she came out the other side of the revolving doors.

She hurried her steps a little; she only had a couple minutes to get to the bus station at the corner to catch the next bus.

"Chloe!" That voice calling her name could still drown out everyone else's in a crowd.

She stumbled to a halt and slowly turned around to search the crowd for the man she thought she would never see again.

Her eyes moved right past him the first time. She was looking so hard for the tailored suit and the expensive cashmere coat that she completely ignored the guy wearing a leather jacket, jeans and a beat up baseball cap.

"Over here." He raised his chin and cocked his head to the side, flashing his unmistakable smirk.

"Lex?" She couldn't believe what she was looking at could be real. She could feel her legs start to shake.

"Long time no see." His voice was calm but his eyes were flitting over her as if he was trying to memorize every bit before she disappeared.

"Yeah," she said dumbly.

"You look different," he commented with a quick hand motion towards her long brown hair.

"So do you," she said before she shook herself out of her trance. "What are you doing here?"

She hadn't heard much of him over the past two years. Lois and Gabe had mostly avoided the subject and Chloe hadn't asked. Looking at him now, Chloe wondered what she had missed.

"I'm actually in town for a symposium," Lex said smoothly.

Chloe raised an eyebrow in immediate suspicion. "So you're saying that this is pure coincidence?" She pointed between them, indicating their chance meeting.

"No." Lex shook his head. "When I found out that you're in London, I planned to see you."

The point blank honesty surprised her so much that Chloe blinked furiously for a moment before her mind kicked back into gear. "How did you find out?"

Lex's smirk still had a sharp edge to it. "I read your article on Kingston's affair in Sunday's edition."

Chloe's eyes narrowed as her eyebrows furrowed in confusion. "I write under a pseudonym."

Lex chuckled and rocked slightly on his heels. "I've read every article you ever wrote. You could publish as Donald Duck and I would still recognize your voice."

She sucked in a breath and straightened her spine. The fact that he still knew her that well made parts of her turn to mush and other parts churn with confusion. She didn't know where to go from here. Fight or flight? Neither of them seemed the right way to go.

She licked her lips and nervously cleared her throat. "You mean every article I ever wrote in the States. You read every article I ever wrote back then."

Lex looked to the floor, uncharacteristically bashful for a moment. "I'm catching up." His eyes snapped back up to lock on hers. "Will you have coffee with me?"

Chloe was taken aback again. Her heart hammered in her chest and her breath stalled in her throat from that one simple question. She felt like a rabbit staring down a snake; an attractive snake that smelled like leather and 'Obsession'. She shook her head to clear the cobwebs of confusion.

"Please."

"Okay." Who said that? She most certainly had not just agreed to have coffee with her ex-husband.

"Great." Lex's smile was beatific. "I know this neat little café not too far from here."

"Of course you do." Chloe couldn't believe she was actually walking alongside Lex down the streets of London, heading to a café together.

Lex stopped abruptly and pulled one hand out of his pocket, hovering just shy of placing it on her arm before he dropped it to his side. "No strings attached. I promise. I just want…" He clamped his jaw shut for a moment before he continued. "All I'm asking for right now is coffee." He smirked.

Chloe knew him too well to not recognize this spiel. She knew exactly why he had paused in the middle of his sentence and rephrased it more cautiously. It was his way of telling the truth while holding back the most important information. While all he was 'asking for' was coffee, he definitely wanted something that went far beyond the scope of just that. She just wasn't sure what that something was.

And yet, she simply nodded and fell in step beside him when he resumed walking.

"So, what's with the get up?" she asked eventually, once they were seated across from each other in the quaint little café he had mentioned.

Lex chuckled and shrugged. "It's comfortable and just appropriate enough for my current profession."

Chloe arched a brow in curiosity. "And just what type of business is that?"

Lex's chuckle turned into a grin. "Remember, I said I was here for a symposium? It's for my job; five days and 20 speakers about the global influence of the Mesopotamian Empire."

She wasn't sure how to put those pieces together to make sense. Lex had always been a history buff, but it had never had much bearing on his business, aside from the occasional quote of Sun Tsu or Alexander the Great and their battle strategies. And nothing could explain the casual clothes.

"You're looking at the youngest member of OxfordUniversity's esteemed history department." Lex finally said with a sweeping hand gesture towards himself.

"You're a teacher?"

Lex's grin widened as he leaned back in his chair and spread his hands. "And according to Twitter, the coolest on campus."

"No way." Chloe deadpanned, unable to compute any of it.

"I swear." Lex dug in his pocket, probably for his smart phone. "They had a poll and comparison charts. It was very professional."

Chloe shook her head, still trying to figure out what was happening. "Who are you? What happened?"

She felt like she had been thrown into an alternate universe with a guy that looked like Lex but had otherwise nothing in common with the man she had been married to. If Lex Luthor had been this guy, she never would have had to go through the hell she endured. She would have spent her time baking brownies for fundraisers and laughing about silly school girl crushes with her husband the history professor.

"Why?" Her voice choked on the lump in her throat as she fought the anger, confusion and betrayal clamoring for supremacy in her mind. "Why?"

Lex immediately sobered up and leaned forward in his chair. "Because I realized that just because you are good at something, that doesn't mean it's good for you."

He folded his arms over each other on the table and looked at Chloe earnestly. "I excelled at doing business, but it cost me everything and everyone I ever cared about. And I didn't realize what it was doing to me until it was too late."

Chloe didn't know what to say, she was too thrown by everything that she'd heard in the past few minutes. What was she supposed to say? How was she supposed to react? "That's uhm, very insightful, Lex, but…"

"I'm sorry." Lex blurted out the apology before she could finish her sentence.

He grabbed her arm and she felt completely trapped between that and his steady gaze holding hers.

"I screwed up. I let you down, and I put you through hell. And I'm sorry." His grip twitched around her wrist, but his eyes never wavered from her face. "I'm sorry I pushed you away from me, and I'm sorry I let my ambitions take priority over our marriage."

Chloe sat frozen, unable to do anything even as simple as pull her arm out of his grip. So she just stared at him as he poured his heart out in the most matter of fact tone she had ever heard.

"I'm sorry that you thought the only way you could get me to listen was to run away and I'm even sorrier that you were right about that." He smiled self-deprecatingly, took a deep breath and loosened his grip on her arm.

She could feel his thumb start to brush back and forth over her wrist.

"I know that no amount of apologizing is ever going to make up for the things I've done. I just wanted you to know, even though it's probably too little, too late."

Chloe still didn't know what to say. She had never expected to hear those words out of Lex's mouth. Truthfully, she had expected to never see him again. She had stuck to the local gossip rag and avoided anything to do with business or economy like the plague just to make sure of that. Her visit to his office two years ago had been a clean break and, even though it had hurt like hell, she had stuck to her guns.

And now they were here, talking, and he was apologizing and saying all the things that she had wanted to hear so desperately just a couple of years ago. And he was right, it should be too little, too late. Too much time had passed, hadn't it? There was too much to forgive, wasn't there?

She took a slow breath and forced herself to look at Lex; really look at him.

There were a few lines around his eyes and at the corners of his mouth that hadn't been there before. His hands were still clean and his nails were smooth, but they weren't as expertly manicured as they used to be. His clothes weren't cheap, but neither the leather jacket nor the shirt he wore under it was anything the regular Joe couldn't afford to have in his closet. The baseball cap had definitely seen better days.

Chloe took another slow breath and allowed her feelings to come to the surface, just a little bit, just enough that she could see what they were.

The first one to hit was anger. She wanted to hit him square in the jaw and scream at him and keep hitting him until he hurt as much as she did.

Her hand twitched under Lex's grip and she felt him let go, but she didn't move her arm away. Instead she inhaled deeply again and tried to see if there was anything other than anger left in her.

There was a lot of anger. And then there was grief for everything that they'd lost when Lex turned down the wrong path. The pain was so sharp that it might as well have been yesterday that she walked out of the study in the mansion instead of more than three years ago.

She was sure her face was an open book because Lex's face turned ashen and he mumbled something under his breath as he started to pull his hand away and get up from the table.

In that moment the sensation of longing hit her so quickly and so hard that she gasped and blindly reached out to grab his wrist before he could leave. She could feel a tear trickle down her cheek as she looked up at him and silently begged him to sit back down.

No matter how much time had passed, no matter how much there was to forgive, she couldn't let him leave like this. She needed to know if this could be real, if there was even a small chance that he had changed.

Chloe shook with relief when Lex took a stuttering breath and sat back down at the table across from her. Even still, she kept a hold of the wrist she had grabbed to keep him from leaving.

"So, Oxford," she said in a shaky voice and used her other hand to wipe the traitorous tear from her face. "What happened to LexCorp?"

There was no reason to beat around the bush. If she was going to have her hopes smashed, it was better to do it right away.

"Sold," he said neutrally. "All of it. Some to Wayne Enterprises, some to Queen Industries, some went to corporations I can barely pronounce."

Chloe could scarcely believe it, but she knew it was the truth by the look on his face. His expression was a mixture of victory and regret. "And the mansion?" she asked out of morbid curiosity.

Lex chuckled. "You're going to love this." He smirked. "I shipped it back to Scotland, brick by brick. Had it reassembled and gave it back to the original family it belonged to, including the land rights."

Chloe scoffed then burst out laughing, trying to imagine the look on the families faces. It was easier to imagine Lionel rolling over in his grave as his son dismantled every single part of the empire that Lionel had stolen, blackmailed and even murdered to build.

"You gave it all back," she said in amazement when she could talk again without laughing hysterically.

"Piece by piece." Lex nodded and placed his hand over hers on his wrist.

"All of it?" she asked, not quite willing to believe it. But she knew it had to be true, because it would be too easy to confirm if it was a lie.

"All except for a couple things," Lex said with a slow shrug. "I held on to our rings."

The frank response made her twitch and her heart started to beat faster. "Why?"

Lex's smirk turned self-deprecating again. "They were the only thing I had left to remind me of you and what we had."

As soon as the words were out of his mouth he turned his head to avoid her eyes and pulled his hands away from her.

Chloe could tell that he hadn't meant to tell her this yet. She'd always had an uncanny ability to get the truth out of him, even when he didn't want to admit it.

She reached for his wrist again and gave it a quick squeeze as she fixed her eyes on his face. She watched as his jaw clenched in annoyance with himself. This was the point where she had to make a decision.

"I'm going to need time, Lex."

He turned around so fast she was surprised he didn't give himself whiplash.

"You're saying…"

"What I'm saying is that while you're in town, you can take me out to dinner sometime. And we'll see how it goes."

Lex nodded in understanding, even as a small smile twitched at the corner of his mouth. "Dinner sounds lovely."

"Yeah, it does," she agreed.

As Lex smiled at her and her heart accidentally skipped a couple beats there was only one thing going through Chloe's mind.

Lois was going to shit bricks when she found out.

The End.


End file.
